Camera drive device

ABSTRACT

A camera driving apparatus according to the present invention includes: a camera section with an imaging plane; a movable unit which houses the camera section inside and includes an attracting magnet and a convex partial sphere on its outer surface; a fixed unit which has a depressed portion in which a magnetic body and the movable unit are loosely fit, which brings the convex partial sphere of the movable unit into a point or line contact with the depressed portion under magnetic attractive force of the attracting magnet to the magnetic body, and which allows the movable unit to rotate freely on the spherical centroid of the first convex partial sphere; a panning driving section; a tilting driving section; a rolling driving section; a lens driving section; an image sensor driving section; a first detector which detects the tilt angles of the camera section in the panning and tilting directions with respect to the fixed unit; a second detector which detects the angle of rotation of the camera section that is rotating in the rolling direction; and a third detector which detects the magnitudes of shift of the image sensor along the panning rotation axis and the tilting rotation axis.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application relates to a camera driving apparatus whichincludes means for getting a camera section including a lens and animage sensor tilted in the panning (yawing) direction and in the tilting(pitching) direction, rotating (or rolling) the camera section on theoptical axis of the lens, and shifting the lens that forms part of thecamera section in the optical axis direction, and means for shifting theimage sensor that forms part of the camera section two-dimensionallywithin a plane that intersects with the optical axis at right angles androtating the image sensor on the optical axis.

BACKGROUND ART

Many of camcorders and digital cameras which have been put on the marketrecently include a camera shake compensation device which is speciallydesigned to cancel the motion blur of an image shot to be caused by acamera shake. Such a camera shake compensation device gets a lens, alens barrel, a reflective mirror, an image sensor or any other member ofthe camera either tilted with respect to the optical axis of the cameraor shifted two-dimensionally on a plane which intersects with theoptical axis at right angles.

For example, Patent Document No. 1 discloses a camera shake compensationmechanism which is configured to elastically support the lens barrel atone point and get the lens barrel tilted respect to the optical axis.Meanwhile, Patent Document No. 2 discloses a camera shake compensationdevice which supports the mirror with a pivot structure and gets themirror tilted with respect to the optical axis. Furthermore, PatentDocument No. 3 discloses an imaging lens unit which supports aspherical, lens barrel at three points and gets the lens barrel tiltedand shifted along the optical axis.

CITATION LIST Patent Literature

-   Patent Document No. 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No.    2006-53358-   Patent Document No. 2: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No.    11-220651-   Patent Document No. 3: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No.    2008-58391

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Technical Problem

However, these conventional cameras sometimes cannot compensate for thecamera shake sufficiently, and are required to control the camerasection with a greater degree of freedom.

A non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure provides a cameradriving apparatus which can compensate for a camera shake sufficientlyand which can control the camera section with a greater degree offreedom.

Solution to Problem

A camera driving apparatus according to a non-limiting aspect of thepresent invention includes: a camera section including an image sensorwhich has an imaging plane, a lens which has an optical axis and whichproduces a subject image on the imaging plane, and a lens barrel tosupport the lens; a movable unit which includes at least one attractingmagnet, houses the camera section inside, and has a first convex partialsphere on its outer surface; a fixed unit which has a depressed portionin which at least one magnetic body and at least a portion of themovable unit are loosely fit, which brings the first convex partialsphere of the movable unit into a point or line contact with thedepressed portion under magnetic attractive force of the at least oneattracting magnet to the at least one magnetic body, and which allowsthe movable unit to rotate freely on the spherical centroid of the firstconvex partial sphere; a panning driving section which tilts the camerasection in a panning direction with respect to the fixed unit; a tiltingdriving section which tilts the camera section in a tilting directionthat intersects with the panning direction at right angles with respectto the fixed unit; a rolling driving section which rotates the camerasection in a rolling direction around the optical axis of the lens withrespect to the fixed unit; a lens driving section which shifts the lensbarrel in the optical axis direction with respect to the movable unitand which is provided for the movable unit; an image sensor drivingsection which shifts the image sensor with respect to the movable unitin a panning rotation axis direction that defines the axis of rotationin the panning direction and in a tilting rotation axis direction thatdefines the axis of rotation in the tilting direction; a first detectorwhich detects the tilt angles of the movable unit in the panning andtilting directions with respect to the fixed unit; a second detectorwhich detects the angle of rotation of the movable unit that is rotatingin the rolling direction; a third detector which detects the magnitudeof shift of the lens barrel in the optical axis direction; and a fourthdetector which detects the magnitudes of shift of the image sensor inthe panning rotation axis direction and in the tilting rotation axisdirection.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

In a camera driving apparatus according to the present disclosure, itsmovable unit includes: a panning driving section which gets a camerasection tilted in a panning direction with respect to a fixed unit; atilting driving section which tilts the camera section in a tiltingdirection that intersects with the panning direction at right angleswith respect to the fixed unit; a rolling driving section which rotatesthe camera section in a rolling direction around the optical axis of alens with respect to the fixed unit; a lens driving section which gets alens barrel mounting the lens shifted in the optical axis direction withrespect to the movable unit; and an image sensor driving section whichgets an image sensor shifted two-dimensionally in a plane thatintersects with the optical axis direction at right angles with respectto the movable unit. Thus, not only can a three-axis direction shakecompensation control be performed on the movable unit but also can theposition of the lens in the optical axis direction and thetwo-dimensional position of the image sensor perpendicular to theoptical axis direction be adjusted and controlled.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a generalconfiguration for a camera driving apparatus 165 according to an aspectof the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a detailedconfiguration for a movable unit 180 according to a first embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the camera driving apparatus 165according to the aspect of the present invention as viewed from abovethe driver 165.

FIG. 3B is a perspective view of the camera driving apparatus 165according to the aspect of the present invention as viewed from abovethe driver 165 with its stopper member 201 removed.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the camera driving apparatus 165according to the aspect of the present invention as viewed from adifferent angle from above the driver 165.

FIG. 4B is a perspective view of the camera driving apparatus 165according to the aspect of the present invention as viewed from adifferent angle from above the driver 165 with its stopper member 201removed.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the stopper member 201 as viewed fromabove the camera driving apparatus 165 according to the aspect of thepresent invention.

FIG. 6A is a plan view of the camera driving apparatus 165 according tothe aspect of the present invention as viewed along the optical axis 10of a lens 105 to be built in a camera section 100.

FIG. 6B is a plan view of the camera driving apparatus 165 according tothe aspect of the present invention as viewed along a line 13.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the movable unit 180 and driving sectionas viewed from above the camera driving apparatus 165 according to theaspect of the present invention with the image sensor driving section99, lens section 101, camera cover 150 and base 200 removed.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a fixed unit 300 as viewed from abovethe camera driving apparatus 165 according to the aspect of the presentinvention.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a generalconfiguration for the fixed unit 300 of the camera driving apparatus 165according to the aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 10A is a top view of the camera driving apparatus 165 according tothe first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional view of the camera driving apparatus 165according to the first embodiment of the present invention as viewed ona plane including the optical axis 10 and a panning direction rotationaxis 12.

FIG. 11A is a top view of the camera driving apparatus 165 according tothe first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11B is a cross-sectional view of the camera driving apparatus 165according to the first embodiment of the present invention as viewed ona plane including the optical axis 10 and a tilting direction rotationaxis 11.

FIG. 12A is a top view of the camera driving apparatus 165 according tothe first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12B is a cross-sectional view of the camera driving apparatus 165according to the first embodiment of the present invention as viewed ona plane including the optical axis 10 and a line 14.

FIG. 13A is a perspective view illustrating respective parts of a lensdriving section and an image sensor driving section 99 according to thefirst embodiment of the present invention as viewed from above them.

FIG. 13B is a perspective view illustrating respective parts of the lensdriving section and the image sensor driving section 99 according to thefirst embodiment of the present invention as viewed from below them.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view illustrating the movable unit 180 asviewed from above it in a state where the movable unit 180 is tilted tothe same degree (at a synthetic angle Oxy) in the panning direction 20and tilting direction 21.

FIG. 15A is a top view illustrating the movable unit 180 as viewed in astate where the movable unit 180 is tilted to the same degree (at asynthetic angle θxy) in the panning direction 20 and tilting direction21.

FIG. 15B is a cross-sectional view of the movable unit 180 as viewed ona plane including the optical axis 10 and the line 14 in a state wherethe movable unit 180 is tilted to the same degree (at the syntheticangle θxy) in the panning direction 20 and tilting direction 21.

FIG. 16A is a perspective view illustrating a second magnetic sensor 700of the movable unit 180 which is provided for the fixed unit of thecamera driving apparatus 165 according to the present invention, thepanning drive magnet 401 and the tilting drive magnet 402 as viewed fromabove them.

FIG. 16B is a top view illustrating a second magnetic sensor 700 whichis provided for the fixed unit of the camera driving apparatus 165according to the aspect of the present invention, the panning drivemagnet 401 and the tilting drive magnet 402.

FIG. 16C is a cross-sectional view illustrating the second magneticsensor 700 provided for the fixed unit of the camera driving apparatus165 according to the aspect of the present invention, the panning drivemagnet 401 and the tilting drive magnet 402 as viewed on a planeincluding the optical axis 10 and the panning direction rotation axis12.

FIG. 17 is an exploded perspective view illustrating relative positionsof supporting balls 55 with respect to the fixed unit in the cameradriving apparatus 165 according to the aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 18A is a top view of the fixed unit of the camera driving apparatus165 according to the aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 18B is a cross-sectional view of the fixed unit of the cameradriving apparatus 165 according to the aspect of the present inventionas viewed on a plane including the optical axis 10 and the tiltingdirection rotation axis 11.

FIG. 19A is a top view of the fixed unit of the camera driving apparatus165 according to the aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 19B is a cross-sectional view of the fixed unit of the cameradriving apparatus 165 according to the aspect of the present inventionas viewed on a plane including the optical axis 10 and the centers ofsupporting balls 55.

FIG. 20A is a perspective view showing a relative angular position withrespect to the reference horizontal shooting plane of the camera drivingapparatus 165 according to the aspect of the present invention as viewedfrom above the driver 165.

FIG. 20B is another perspective view showing a relative angular positionwith respect to the reference horizontal shooting plane of the cameradriving apparatus 165 according to the aspect of the present inventionas viewed from above the driver 165.

FIG. 21 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a detailedconfiguration for a movable unit 180 according to a second embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 22A is a top view of a camera driving apparatus 165 according tothe second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 22B is a cross-sectional view of the camera driving apparatus 165according to the second embodiment of the present invention as viewed ona plane including the optical axis 10 and a panning direction rotationaxis 12.

FIG. 23A is a top view of the camera driving apparatus 165 according tothe second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 23B is a cross-sectional view of the camera driving apparatus 165according to the second embodiment of the present invention as viewed ona plane including the optical axis 10 and a tilting direction rotationaxis 11.

FIG. 24A is a top view of the camera driving apparatus 165 according tothe second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 24B is a cross-sectional view of the camera driving apparatus 165according to the second embodiment of the present invention as viewed ona plane including the optical axis 10 and a line 14.

FIG. 25A is a perspective view illustrating respective parts of a lensdriving section and an image sensor driving section 99 according to thesecond embodiment of the present invention as viewed from above them.

FIG. 25B is a perspective view illustrating respective parts of the lensdriving section and image sensor driving section 99 according to thesecond embodiment of the present invention as viewed from below them.

FIG. 25C is another perspective view illustrating respective parts ofthe lens driving section and image sensor driving section 99 accordingto the second embodiment of the present invention as viewed from belowthem.

FIG. 26A is a top view of the camera driving apparatus 165 according tothe second embodiment of the present invention in a state where themovable unit 180 is tilted to the same degree (at a synthetic angle θxy)in the panning direction 20 and tilting direction 21.

FIG. 26B is a cross-sectional view thereof according to the secondembodiment of the present invention as viewed on a plane including theoptical axis 10 and the line 14 in a state where the movable unit 180 istilted to the same degree (at a synthetic angle θxy) in the panningdirection 20 and tilting direction 21.

FIG. 27 is a perspective view illustrating an arrangement of angularvelocity sensors 900, 901 and 902 provided for a camera unit 170according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 28 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration for the cameraunit 170 according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The present inventors checked out closely conventional cameras with theability to compensate for a camera shake. It is generally said that whena person who is standing still is shooting, the angle of a camera shaketo be produced is approximately ±0.3 degrees and its generationfrequency components are approximately 20 to 30 Hz. It is also said thatthe camera shake needs to be compensated for in a frequency range ofaround 10 Hz.

As can be seen, if a person who is standing still is shooting with acamcorder or a digital camera, the angle of the camera shake involved isrelatively small and the frequency for control is relatively low. Thatis why even though respective members (including a lens, a lens barrel,a reflective mirror and an image sensor) that form a conventional cameradriving apparatus which is designed to compensate for the motion blur tobe caused to an image shot due to a camera shake while the shooter isstanding still are tilted at a very small angle with respect to theoptical axis of the lens and linearly shifted two-dimensionally by onlya short distance within a plane that intersects with the optical axis atright angles, the conventional camera driving apparatus can stillcompensate for the camera shake well enough.

However, it is said that if a person is shooting a movie or a stillpicture while walking, the motion blur to be caused to an image shot insuch a situation (which will be referred to herein as a “walking blur”that includes an ordinary motion blur caused by the user's hand tremors)will have an angle of ±10 degrees or more. And it is said that tocompensate for the walking blur, the control should be performed withina frequency range of approximately 50 Hz.

If the motion blur of the image has such a large angle and if thecontrol needs to be performed at such a high frequency, the conventionalcamera driving apparatus's supporting system to support its members andits driving system to drive those members will have a problem.

For example, the driver disclosed in Patent Document No. 1 is suitableto getting a lens barrel tilted at a very small angle. However, if thedriver was used to get the lens barrel tilted at as large an angle asmore than ±10 degrees, then the elastic body supported would be deformedto the plastic range. Also, if the angle of the tilt should be increasedso much, the load due to the spring constant of the elastic body wouldbe a huge one and the index (Q value) of the amplitude augmentation ofthe elastic body's natural vibration would increase significantly, too.As a result, the phase and gain characteristics of the compensation andcontrol would deteriorate too much to get the compensation and controldone easily in the frequency range described above.

The driver of Patent Document No. 2 drives the reflective mirror tocompensate for the motion blur of the image. However, in a situationwhere the camcorder or digital camera has a wide angle lens system, ifsuch a reflective mirror was provided for the optical system, thereflective mirror would be a bulky member of the optical system. Forthat reason, it cannot be said that the reflective mirror is an idealsolution for a camcorder or digital camera that should have as small asize as possible. In addition, since the mirror is pivoted with magneticattractive force, the mirror could fall off under some disturbance suchas vibration or impact.

The lens unit of Patent Document No. 3 includes a spherical lens holder,and therefore, can get the lens holder tilted at a large angle. However,since a region where the lens holder and another holder provided outsideof the lens holder contact with each other has a large radius ofrotation, the frictional load on the movable unit increases and themovable unit needs to go a longer working distance. As a result, thelarger the tilt angle, the more significantly the contact frictionalload would vary and the more difficult it would be to get the controldone as intended. Also, unless the interval between the lens holder andthe outer holder is controlled precisely, it will be difficult tocontrol accurately the tilt angle of the lens holder. Depending on themachining accuracy of these parts, mechanical backlash could be producedto possibly affect the frequency response characteristic of the movableunit.

Furthermore, none of the drivers of Patent Document Nos. 1 to 3 have astructure for rotating a member such as the lens on the optical axis ofthe camera section. Thus, it is difficult for them to control a largeangle of rotation highly accurately around the optical axis of thecamera section.

Thus, in order to overcome these problems with the related art by makinga camera section rotatable in three axis directions and adding newfunctions that no conventional drivers have ever had, a first embodimentof the present invention provides a camera driving apparatus which canmove in six axis directions in total by using means for shifting a lensthat forms part of the camera section in an optical axis direction, andmeans for shifting an image sensor that forms part of the camera sectionin two axis directions within a plane that intersects with the opticalaxis direction at right angles.

Meanwhile, in order to overcome these problems with the related art bymaking a camera section rotatable in three axis directions and addingnew functions that no conventional drivers have ever had, a secondembodiment of the present invention provides a camera driving apparatuswhich can move in seven axis directions in total by using means forshifting a lens that forms part of the camera section in an optical axisdirection, means for shifting an image sensor that forms part of thecamera section in two axis directions within a plane that intersectswith the optical axis direction at right angles, and means for rotatingthe image sensor on the optical axis.

A camera driving apparatus according to an aspect of the presentinvention includes: a camera section including an image sensor which hasan imaging plane, a lens which has an optical axis and which produces asubject image on the imaging plane, and a lens barrel to support thelens; a movable unit which includes at least one attracting magnet,houses the camera section inside, and has a first convex partial sphereon its outer surface; a fixed unit which has a depressed portion inwhich at least one magnetic body and at least a portion of the movableunit are loosely fit, which brings the first convex partial sphere ofthe movable unit into a point or line contact with the depressed portionunder magnetic attractive force of the at least one attracting magnet tothe at least one magnetic body, and which allows the movable unit torotate freely on the spherical centroid of the first convex partialsphere; a panning driving section which tilts the camera section in apanning direction with respect to the fixed unit; a tilting drivingsection which tilts the camera section in a tilting direction thatintersects with the panning direction at right angles with respect tothe fixed unit; a rolling driving section which rotates the camerasection in a rolling direction around the optical axis of the lens withrespect to the fixed unit; a lens driving section which shifts the lensbarrel in the optical axis direction with respect to the movable unitand which is provided for the movable unit; an image sensor drivingsection which shifts the image sensor with respect to the movable unitin a panning rotation axis direction that defines the axis of rotationin the panning direction and in a tilting rotation axis direction thatdefines the axis of rotation in the tilting direction and which isprovided for the movable unit; a first detector which detects the tiltangles of the movable unit in the panning and tilting directions withrespect to the fixed unit; a second detector which detects the angle ofrotation of the movable unit that is rotating in the rolling direction;a third detector which detects the magnitude of shift of the lens barrelin the optical axis direction; and a fourth detector which detects themagnitudes of shift of the image sensor in the panning rotation axisdirection and in the tilting rotation axis direction.

A camera driving apparatus according to an embodiment includes: a camerasection including an image sensor which has an imaging plane, a lenswhich has an optical axis and which produces a subject image on theimaging plane, and a lens barrel to support the lens; a movable unitwhich includes at least one attracting magnet, houses the camera sectioninside, and has a first convex partial sphere on its outer surface; afixed unit which has a depressed portion in which at least one magneticbody and at least a portion of the movable unit are loosely fit, whichbrings the first convex partial sphere of the movable unit into a pointor line contact with the depressed portion under magnetic attractiveforce of the at least one attracting magnet to the at least one magneticbody, and which allows the movable unit to rotate freely on thespherical centroid of the first convex partial sphere; a panning drivingsection which tilts the camera section in a panning direction withrespect to the fixed unit; a tilting driving section which tilts thecamera section in a tilting direction that intersects with the panningdirection at right angles with respect to the fixed unit; a rollingdriving section which rotates the camera section in a rolling directionaround the optical axis of the lens with respect to the fixed unit; alens driving section which shifts the lens barrel in the optical axisdirection with respect to the movable unit and which is provided for themovable unit; an image sensor driving section which shifts the imagesensor with respect to the movable unit in a panning rotation axisdirection that defines the axis of rotation in the panning direction andin a tilting rotation axis direction that defines the axis of rotationin the tilting direction and rotates the image sensor in the rollingdirection and which is provided for the movable unit; a first detectorwhich detects the tilt angles of the movable unit in the panning andtilting directions with respect to the fixed unit; a second detectorwhich detects the angle of rotation of the movable unit that is rotatingin the rolling direction; a third detector which detects the magnitudeof shift of the lens barrel in the optical axis direction; and a fourthdetector which detects the magnitudes of shift of the image sensor inthe panning rotation axis direction and in the tilting rotation axisdirection.

In one embodiment, the fixed unit has at least three second convexpartial spheres inside its depressed portion, and the second convexpartial spheres make a point contact with the first convex partialsphere of the movable unit.

In one embodiment, the fixed unit has a concave conical surface definingthe inner side surface of the depressed portion and the concave conicalsurface and the first convex partial sphere of the movable unit make aline contact with each other.

In one embodiment, the camera driving apparatus further includes astopper member which is provided for the fixed unit and which has aregulating surface that regulates the movement of the movable unit so asto prevent the movable unit from falling off the fixed unit. Theregulating surface has a concave partial sphere, of which the centroidagrees with the spherical centroid of the first convex partial sphere.

In one embodiment, the panning driving section includes a pair ofpanning drive magnets which is arranged symmetrically with respect tothe optical axis in the movable unit, a pair of panning magnetic yokeswhich is arranged in the fixed unit so as to face the pair of panningdrive magnets, and a pair of panning drive coils which is wound aroundthe pair of panning magnetic yokes. The tilting driving section includesa pair of tilting drive magnets which is arranged symmetrically withrespect to the optical axis in the movable unit, a pair of tiltingmagnetic yokes which is arranged in the fixed unit so as to face thepair of tilting drive magnets, and a pair of tilting drive coils whichis wound around the pair of tilting magnetic yokes. The pair of panningdrive magnets and the pair of panning drive coils are arranged on a linewhich passes through the spherical centroid of the first convex partialsphere. The pair of tilting drive magnets and the pair of tilting drivecoils are arranged on another line which also passes through thespherical centroid of the first convex partial sphere. And the center ofthe movable unit in the optical axis direction substantially agrees withthe spherical centroid of the first convex partial sphere.

In one embodiment, the rolling driving section includes four rollingdrive coils which are wound around the pair of panning magnetic yokesand the pair of tilting magnetic yokes, respectively, and uses the pairof panning drive magnets and the pair of tilting drive magnets asrolling drive magnets.

In one embodiment, the at least one magnetic body includes the pair ofpanning magnetic yokes and the pair of tilting magnetic yokes.

In one embodiment, the attracting magnet includes the pair of panningdrive magnets and the pair of tilting drive magnets.

In one embodiment, lines which intersect at right angles with therespective winding center axes of the pair of panning drive coils andthe pair of tilting drive coils and which pass through the sphericalcentroid of the first convex partial sphere and the drive coils define atilt angle A of 45 degrees or less with respect to a horizontal planewhich intersects with the optical axis at right angles and which passesthrough the spherical centroid of the first convex partial sphere, andthe pair of panning drive magnets and the pair of tilting drive magnetsare arranged tilted with respect to the movable unit so as to face thepair of panning drive coils and the pair of tilting drive coils,respectively.

In one embodiment, lines which intersect at right angles with therespective winding center axes of the pair of rolling drive coils andwhich pass through the spherical centroid of the first convex partialsphere define a tilt angle θ of 45 degrees or less with respect to ahorizontal plane which intersects with the optical axis at right anglesand which passes through the spherical centroid of the first convexpartial sphere and the respective centers of the rolling drive coils,the rolling driving section includes a pair of rolling drive magnets,which is arranged tilted with respect to the movable unit so as to facethe rolling drive coils.

In one embodiment, the tilt angles A and B are 20 degrees.

In one embodiment, lines which connect the respective sphericalcentroids of the second convex partial spheres to the spherical centroidof the first convex partial sphere define a tilt angle C of 45 degreeswith respect to a horizontal plane which intersects with the opticalaxis at right angles and which passes through the spherical centroid ofthe first convex partial sphere.

In one embodiment, the pair of panning drive magnets, the pair oftilting drive magnets and the pair of rolling drive magnets are locatedinside the movable unit and not exposed on the first convex partialsphere.

In one embodiment, the pair of panning drive coils, the pair of tiltingdrive coils and the rolling drive coils are arranged inside the fixedunit and not exposed inside the depressed portion.

In one embodiment, the movable unit is made of a resin material.

In one embodiment, the movable unit has been formed together with thepair of panning drive magnets, the pair of tilting drive magnets and thepair of rolling drive magnets.

In one embodiment, the fixed unit is made of a resin material.

In one embodiment, the fixed unit has been formed together with the pairof panning drive coils, the pair of tilting drive coils, the rollingdrive coils, the pair of panning magnetic yokes, the pair of tiltingmagnetic yokes and the pair of rolling magnetic yokes.

In one embodiment, the first detector includes a first magnetic sensorwhich is fixed to the fixed unit and a tilt detecting magnet which isprovided for the movable unit. The first magnetic sensor senses avariation in magnetic force due to a tilt of the tilt detecting magnetand calculates two-dimensional tilt angles of the camera section in thepanning and tilting directions.

In one embodiment, the first magnetic sensor and the tilt detectingmagnet are located on the optical axis.

In one embodiment, the first detector includes a photosensor which isfixed to the fixed unit and a photosensing pattern which is arranged ona portion of the first convex partial sphere of the movable unit. Thephotosensor senses a variation in light that has been incident on thephotosensor due to a tilt of the photosensing pattern and calculatestwo-dimensional tilt angles of the camera section in the panning andtilting directions.

In one embodiment, the lens driving section includes: the lens barrelwhich shifts in the optical axis direction with respect to a pluralityof guide portions that are provided parallel to the optical axis for themovable unit and which supports the lens; an optical axis directiondrive coil which is provided for the lens barrel; and an optical axisdirection drive magnet which is provided for the movable unit so as toface the optical axis direction drive coil.

In one embodiment, the optical axis direction drive magnet includes thepair of panning drive magnets and the pair of tilting drive magnets.

In one embodiment, the winding center axis of the optical axis directiondrive coil agrees with the optical axis.

In one embodiment, the guide portions are guide bars which are fixed tothe movable unit and which run parallel to the optical axis.

In one embodiment, the image sensor driving section includes: an imagesensor holder portion which holds the image sensor; supporting means forsupporting the image sensor holder portion so that the image sensorholder portion is movable with respect to the movable unit within aplane that intersects with the optical axis at right angles; an imagesensor drive coil which has a winding center axis that is parallel tothe optical axis and which is fixed to the image sensor holder portion;and an image sensor drive magnet which is fixed to the movable unit soas to face the image sensor drive coil.

In one embodiment, the image sensor driving section includes: an imagesensor holder portion which holds the image sensor; supporting means forsupporting the image sensor holder portion so that the image sensorholder portion is movable with respect to the movable unit within aplane that intersects with the optical axis at right angles; a firstimage sensor drive coil which has a winding center axis that is parallelto the optical axis and which is fixed to the image sensor holderportion; a first image sensor drive magnet which is fixed to the movableunit so as to face the first image sensor drive coil; a second imagesensor drive coil which has a winding center axis that is tilted withrespect to the optical axis and which is fixed to the image sensorholder portion; and a second image sensor drive magnet which is fixed tothe movable unit so as to face the second image sensor drive coil.

In one embodiment, the image sensor drive magnet is the tilt detectingmagnet.

In one embodiment, the first image sensor drive magnet is the tiltdetecting magnet.

In one embodiment, the second image sensor drive magnet is either thepanning drive magnet or the tilting drive magnet.

In one embodiment, the supporting means includes: a first plane portionwhich is provided for the image sensor holder portion and which has aplane that intersects with the optical axis at right angles; a secondplane portion which is provided for the movable unit and which has aplane that intersects with the optical axis at right angles; and atleast three supporting balls which are held between the first and secondplane portions.

In one embodiment, the image sensor holder portion includes a magneticbody and grips the supporting balls with magnetic attractive forcebetween the magnetic body and the image sensor drive magnet.

In one embodiment, the image sensor holder portion includes a magneticbody and grips the supporting balls with magnetic attractive forcebetween the magnetic body and the first image sensor drive magnet.

In one embodiment, the center of mass of the movable unit agrees withthe spherical centroid of the first convex partial sphere.

In one embodiment, the camera driving apparatus further includes cableswhich are connected to the camera section and which are implemented asflexible cables. The cables are arranged line-symmetrically with respectto the optical axis and are fixed to the movable unit in a directionwhich defines an angle of 45 degrees with respect to either a line thatconnects the pair of tilting drive magnets together or a line thatconnects the pair of panning drive magnets together on a plane whichintersects with the optical axis at right angles.

In one embodiment, the second detector includes a second magnetic sensorwhich is fixed to the fixed unit and a rotation detecting magnet whichis provided for the movable unit. The second magnetic sensor senses avariation in magnetic force due to a rotation of the rotation detectingmagnet and calculates the angle of rotation of the movable unit in therolling direction.

In one embodiment, the third detector includes a third magnetic sensorwhich is fixed to the movable unit and a first shift detecting magnetwhich is provided for the lens barrel. The third magnetic sensor sensesa variation in magnetic force due to a shift of the first shiftdetecting magnet and calculates the magnitude of shift of the lensbarrel in the optical axis direction.

In one embodiment, the fourth detector includes a fourth magnetic sensorwhich is fixed to the image sensor holder portion and a second shiftdetecting magnet which is provided for the movable unit. The fourthmagnetic sensor senses a variation in magnetic force due to a shift ofthe image sensor holder portion and calculates the magnitudes of shiftof the image sensor driving section in the panning rotation axisdirection and in the tilting rotation axis direction.

In one embodiment, the rotation detecting magnet is either the panningdrive magnet or the tilting drive magnet.

In one embodiment, the second shift detecting magnet is the tiltdetecting magnet.

In one embodiment, a gap is left between the regulating surface of thestopper member and the first convex partial sphere of the movable unitand has been determined so that even if the first convex partial sphereof the movable unit has fallen off the depressed portion of the fixedunit, the first convex partial sphere and the depressed portion recovertheir point or line contact with magnetic attractive force.

A camera unit according to an aspect of the present invention includes:a camera driving apparatus according to any of the embodiments describedabove; an angular velocity sensor which senses angular velocities of thefixed unit around three orthogonal axes; an arithmetic processingsection which generates target rotation angle signals based on theoutputs of the angular velocity sensor; and a driver circuit whichgenerates signals to drive the first and second driving sections basedon the target rotation angle signals.

In a camera driving apparatus according to an aspect of the presentdisclosure, its movable unit includes: a panning driving section whichgets a camera section tilted in a panning direction with respect to afixed unit; a tilting driving section which tilts the camera section ina tilting direction that intersects with the panning direction at rightangles with respect to the fixed unit; a rolling driving section whichrotates the camera section in a rolling direction around the opticalaxis of a lens with respect to the fixed unit; a lens driving sectionwhich gets a lens barrel mounting the lens shifted in the optical axisdirection with respect to the movable unit and which is provided for themovable unit; and an image sensor driving section which gets an imagesensor shifted two-dimensionally in a plane that intersects with theoptical axis direction at right angles with respect to the movable unit.Thus, not only can a three-axis direction shake compensation control beperformed on the movable unit but also can the position of the lens inthe optical axis direction and the two-dimensional position of the imagesensor perpendicular to the optical axis direction be adjusted andcontrolled as well.

As a result, a focus control, a nodal point correction of the camera,and measurement of the distance to the subject based on a variation inmotion blur can all get done. Consequently, the camera shakecompensation in the translational direction, which has been difficult toget done according to the rotational drive shake compensation method,can get done on a pixel-by-pixel basis by driving and shifting the imagesensor two-dimensionally.

In another embodiment, the movable unit includes: a panning drivingsection which gets a camera section tilted in a panning direction withrespect to a fixed unit; a tilting driving section which tilts thecamera section in a tilting direction that intersects with the panningdirection at right angles with respect to the fixed unit; a rollingdriving section which rotates the camera section in a rolling directionaround the optical axis of a lens with respect to the fixed unit; a lensdriving section which gets a lens barrel mounting the lens shifted inthe optical axis direction with respect to the movable unit and which isprovided for the movable unit; and an image sensor driving section whichgets an image sensor shifted two-dimensionally in a plane thatintersects with the optical axis direction at right angles with respectto the movable unit and also gets the image sensor rotated around theoptical axis. Thus, not only can a three-axis direction shakecompensation control be performed on the camera section but also can theposition of the lens in the optical axis direction, the two-dimensionalposition of the image sensor perpendicular to the optical axis directionand its angle of rotation around the optical axis be adjusted andcontrolled as well.

As a result, a focus control, a nodal point correction of the camera,and measurement of the distance to the subject based on a variation inmotion blur can all get done. Consequently, the camera shakecompensation in the translational direction, which has been difficult toget done according to the rotational drive shake compensation method,can get done on a pixel-by-pixel basis by driving the image sensor.

Also, the camera driving apparatus further includes a movable unit whichincludes an attracting magnet and a first convex partial sphere, and afixed unit which has a depressed portion in which a magnetic body and atleast a portion of the movable unit are loosely fit and which brings themovable unit into a point or line contact under magnetic attractiveforce of the attracting magnet to the magnetic body. Thus, the movableunit can rotate freely on the spherical centroid of the first convexpartial sphere with respect to the fixed unit.

In addition, since the first convex partial sphere can be kept inscribedto the depressed portion under the magnetic attractive force, the loaddue to the contact can be kept constant irrespective of the rotationstate of the movable unit.

Furthermore, since the movable unit can be supported at its center ofmass by a pivoting structure which gets the convex partial sphere fitinto the depressed portion, mechanical resonance can be reducedsignificantly in the control frequency range.

On top of that, according to an embodiment, the following effects canalso be achieved. Specifically, by providing a stopper member, even whensubjected to external impact, the movable unit will not fallen off butcan recover the state where the convex partial sphere is in contact withthe depressed portion.

In addition, by getting constant normal force applied as magneticattractive force that does not affect the angle of rotation to apivoting structure in which the convex partial sphere of the movableunit is inscribed to the concave conical surface of the fixed unit, thevariation in frictional load with the angle of rotation can be reducedand good phase and gain characteristics are realized in the controlfrequency range.

Besides, by providing an anti-fall regulating surface for the stoppermember to be fixed to the fixed unit, the movable unit can get assembledinto the fixed unit more easily. As a result, the assembling work canget done much more efficiently.

Furthermore, the panning and tilting direction driving sections includetwo pairs of drive magnets which are fixed to the movable unit andarranged so as to intersect with each other at right angles along thecircumference of a circle, of which the center is the optical axis, andtwo pairs of drive coils which are provided for the fixed unit so as toface the drive magnets.

Meanwhile, the rolling direction driving section includes a pair ofdrive magnets which is fixed to the movable unit and arranged along thecircumference of a circle, of which the center is the optical axis, anda pair of drive coils which is provided for the fixed unit so as to facethe drive magnets.

Furthermore, by filling a substantially ringlike gap to be left betweenthe convex partial sphere of the movable unit and the anti-fallregulating surface of the fixed unit with a vibration damping viscousmember or a magnetic fluid, the index (Q value) of the amplitudeaugmentation of the variation or the Q value of the mechanical naturalvibration to be produced between the drive magnets of the movable unitand the magnetic yokes of the fixed unit due to the magnetic springeffect of the magnetic attractive force can be reduced. As a result,good controllability can be achieved.

Moreover, the tilt detecting means of the movable unit is comprised of atilt detecting magnet which is arranged along the optical axis at thebottom of the movable unit and a first magnetic sensor which is providedfor the fixed unit so as to face the tilt detecting magnet. By sensing avariation in the magnetic force of the tilt detecting magnet due to atilt of the movable unit and calculating the tilt angle using that tiltdetecting means, the size of the driver can be cut down.

What is more, by arranging a rotation detecting means so that therotation detecting means defines an angle of degrees with respect to thepanning and tilting driving sections as viewed in the optical axisdirection and by arranging a plurality of driving sections along thecircumference of a circle, of which the center is defined at the opticalaxis, the moment of the driving force can be increased. And by arrangingthe rotation detecting means along the circumference of the same circle,the space that should be left for the driver can be saved.

Furthermore, if the rolling driving section uses the panning and tiltingdrive magnets as rolling drive magnets, too, and if the rolling drivecoils have a crossed winding structure in which the rolling drive coilsare wound around the panning and tilting magnetic yokes perpendicularlyto the direction in which the coils are wound around the panning andtilting drive coils, the space that should be left for the driver, thesize of the driver, and the number of parts that make up the driver canall be reduced.

Furthermore, if the lens driving section uses the panning and tiltingdrive magnets as optical axis direction drive magnets, too, the spacethat should be left for the driver, the size of the driver, and thenumber of parts that make up the driver can all be reduced.

Furthermore, if the image sensor driving section uses the tilt detectingmagnet that is built in the movable unit as an image sensor drive magnetto be driven two-dimensionally on a plane which intersects with theoptical axis at right angles, too, the space that should be left for thedriver, the size of the driver, and the number of parts that make up thedriver can all be reduced.

Furthermore, the image sensor driving section can use the tilt detectingmagnet that is built in the movable unit as a first image sensor drivemagnet to be driven two-dimensionally on a plane which intersects withthe optical axis at right angles, and can use the panning drive magnetsand the tilting drive magnets as second image sensor drive magnets to berotated and driven around the optical axis. As a result, the space thatshould be left for the driver, the size of the driver, and the number ofparts that make up the driver can all be reduced.

In addition, if the panning, tilting and rolling drive coils to be fixedto the fixed unit and the panning, tilting and rolling drive magnets tobe provided for the movable unit so as to face those coils are arrangedto be located under, and define a tilt angle of 30 to 45 degrees withrespect to, a horizontal plane that intersects with the optical axis atright angles and that includes the spherical centroid of the convexpartial sphere of the movable unit, the height of the driver can belowered.

Since the magnetic attractive force to be produced between the movableunit and the fixed unit can be obtained so as to be dispersed between aplurality of drive magnets and a plurality of magnetic yokes in thepanning, tilting and rolling driving sections, the frictional resistancedue to the normal force between the movable and fixed units can be kepta constant value which does not depend on the angle of rotation.

On top of that, the panning, tilting and rolling drive magnets arehoused in the movable unit and are not exposed on the convex partialsphere of the movable unit which is in contact with the concave conicalsurface of the fixed unit. Thus, the coefficient of friction between themovable and fixed units can be reduced.

Optionally, if the concave conical surface of the fixed unit and theconvex partial sphere of the movable unit are made of a plastic resinwith good sliding ability, the coefficient of friction between themovable and fixed units can be further reduced.

Furthermore, if at least three supporting balls are interposed betweenthe concave conical surface of the fixed unit and the convex partialsphere of the movable unit, the coefficient of friction between themovable and fixed units can be further reduced.

In addition, if the panning, tilting and rolling driving sections arearranged to be located under, and define a tilt angle of 30 degrees withrespect to, a horizontal plane that intersects with the optical axis atright angles and that includes the spherical centroid of the convexpartial sphere of the movable unit and if the supporting balls arearranged so as to be located under, and define a tilt angle of 45degrees with respect to, that horizontal plane, the coefficient offriction between the movable and fixed units can be reduced with theheight of the driver lowered.

Added to that, if the fixed unit is made of a plastic resin, the entirefixed unit, including the panning, tilting and rolling drive coils andpanning, tilting and rolling magnetic yokes that form the fixed unit,can be formed altogether. As a result, the driver can be manufactured ata lower cost.

Furthermore, if the movable unit is made of a plastic resin, the entiremovable unit, including the panning, tilting and rolling drive magnets,rotation detecting magnet and tilt detecting magnet that form themovable unit, can be formed altogether. As a result, the driver can bemanufactured at a lower cost.

Optionally, if the concave conical surface of the fixed unit and theconvex partial sphere of the movable unit are made of a plastic resinwith good sliding ability, the coefficient of friction between themovable and fixed units can be further reduced.

Furthermore, the tilt detecting section of the movable unit gets a shiftdetected by a photosensor which is fixed to the fixed unit based on atilt of a design/pattern which has been printed on a portion of theconvex partial sphere of the movable unit, and calculates thetwo-dimensional tilt angles in the panning and tilting directions. As aresult, the driver can be manufactured at a lower cost.

As can be seen, according to the present invention, by supporting anddriving the movable unit at its center of mass with respect to the fixedunit, the mechanical resonance can be reduced significantly in thecontrol frequency range.

In addition, by adopting a movable unit driving and supporting systemwhich can drive the movable unit at a tilt angle of as large as ±10degrees or more in the panning and tilting directions and which canrotate and drive the movable unit in the rolling direction, the camerashake compensation control can be carried out in a broad frequency rangeto about 50 Hz. Furthermore, if the movable unit includes a drivingmeans which shifts the lens in the optical axis direction, anotherdriving means which shifts the image sensor two-dimensionally in a planethat intersects with the optical axis at right angles, and still anotherdriving means which rotates the image sensor around the optical axis,the motion blur of the image produced by hand tremors of the shooter whois walking can be compensated for in three axis directions. As a result,the present invention provides a compact and robust seven-axiscompensating camera driving apparatus which can not only perform a focuscontrol and a nodal point correction of the camera and measurement ofthe distance to the subject, which have never been done by anyconventional camera driving apparatus, but also perform, on an imagesensor's pixel basis, a camera shake compensation and a rotationcorrection in the translational direction.

Embodiment 1

Hereinafter, a first embodiment of a camera driving apparatus accordingto the present invention will be described.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a camera drivingapparatus 165 as a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a detailedconfiguration for a movable unit 180 according to the first embodimentof the present invention.

FIGS. 3A and 4A are perspective views of the camera driving apparatus165 as viewed from obliquely above the driver 165.

FIGS. 3B and 4B are perspective views of the camera driving apparatus165 as viewed from obliquely above the driver 165 with its stoppermember 201 removed.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the stopper member 201 as viewed fromobliquely above the member 201.

FIG. 6A is a plan view of the camera driving apparatus 165 as viewedalong the optical axis 10 of a lens 105 to be built in a lens drivingsection.

FIG. 6B is a plan view of the camera driving apparatus 165 as viewedalong a line 13.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the movable unit 180 and driving sectionas viewed from above them with the image sensor driving section 99, thelens driving section, a camera cover 150 and a base 200 removed.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a fixed unit 300 as viewed from abovethe unit 300.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a generalconfiguration for the fixed unit 300.

FIGS. 10A and 10B are respectively a top view of the camera drivingapparatus 165 and a cross-sectional view thereof as viewed on the planeincluding the optical axis 10 and a panning direction rotation axis 12.

FIGS. 11A and 11B are respectively a top view of the camera drivingapparatus 165 and a cross-sectional view thereof as viewed on a planeincluding the optical axis 10 and a tilting direction rotation axis 11.

FIGS. 12A and 12B are respectively a top view of the camera drivingapparatus 165 and a cross-sectional view thereof as viewed on a planeincluding the optical axis 10 and a line 14.

FIG. 13A is a perspective view illustrating a lens driving section, animage sensor 108 and an image sensor holder 116 which form parts of theimage sensor driving section as viewed from above them.

FIG. 13B is a perspective view illustrating the lens driving section,the image sensor 108, the image sensor holder 116, image sensor drivecoils 117, 118 and a tilt detecting magnet 406 which form parts of theimage sensor driving section as viewed from below them.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view illustrating the camera driving apparatus165 as viewed from above it in a state where the movable unit 180 istilted to the same degree (at a synthetic angle θxy) in the panningdirection 20 and tilting direction 21.

FIG. 15A is a top view of the camera driving apparatus 165. FIG. 15B isa cross-sectional view of the camera driving apparatus 165 as viewed ona plane including the optical axis 10 and the line 14 in a state wherethe movable unit 180 is tilted to the same degree (at the syntheticangle θxy) in the panning direction 20 and tilting direction 21.

FIG. 16A is a perspective view illustrating a second magnetic sensor 700which is provided for the fixed unit, the panning drive magnet 401 andthe tilting drive magnet 402 as viewed from above them.

FIG. 16B is a top view illustrating the second magnetic sensor 700provided for the fixed unit, the panning drive magnet 401 and thetilting drive magnet 402.

FIG. 16C is a cross-sectional view illustrating the second magneticsensor 700 provided for the fixed unit, the panning drive magnet 401 andthe tilting drive magnet 402 as viewed on a plane including the opticalaxis 10 and the panning direction rotation axis 12.

FIG. 17 is an exploded perspective view illustrating relative positionsof supporting balls 55 with respect to the fixed unit.

FIGS. 18A and 18B are respectively a top view of the fixed unit and across-sectional view of the fixed unit as viewed on a plane includingthe optical axis 10 and the tilting direction rotation axis 11.

FIGS. 19A and 19B are respectively a top view of the fixed unit and across-sectional view of the fixed unit as viewed on a plane includingthe optical axis 10 and the centers of supporting balls 55.

FIGS. 20A and 20B are perspective views showing relative angularpositions with respect to the reference horizontal shooting plane of thecamera driving apparatus 165 as viewed from above the driver 165.

Hereinafter, a typical configuration for this camera driving apparatus165 will be described with reference to these drawings.

This camera driving apparatus 165 includes a movable unit 180 to house acamera section 100 inside, and a fixed unit 300 to support the movableunit 180. The camera section 100 includes a lens section 101 and animage sensor driving section 99. The movable unit 180 can rotate freelyin a rolling direction 22 on the optical axis 10 of the lens, in atilting direction 21 on a tilting direction rotation axis 11, and in apanning direction 20 on a panning direction rotation axis 12 withrespect to the fixed unit 300. The tilting direction rotation axis 11and the panning direction rotation axis 12 intersect with each other atright angles.

For that purpose, this camera driving apparatus 165 includes a drivingsection to tilt the movable unit 180 in the panning direction 20 and inthe tilting direction 21 and a rolling driving section to rotate themovable unit 180 in the rolling direction on the optical axis 10 of thelens with respect to the fixed unit 300.

The panning driving section includes a pair of panning drive magnets 401provided for the movable unit 180, a pair of panning drive coils 301provided for the fixed unit 300 and a pair of panning magnetic yokes 203made of a magnetic body. Around the pair of panning drive coils 301,wound is a pair of rolling drive coils 303 to be rotated and driven inthe rolling direction 22 on the optical axis 10 as will be describedlater.

The tilting driving section includes a pair of tilting drive magnets 402provided for the movable unit 180, a pair of tilting drive coils 302provided for the fixed unit 300 and a pair of tilting magnetic yokes 204made of a magnetic body.

The rolling driving section includes a pair of rolling drive magnets, apair of rolling drive coils 303 and a pair of rolling magnetic yokes.Around the pair of tilting drive coils 302, wound is a pair of rollingdrive coils 303 to be rotated and driven in the rolling direction 22 onthe optical axis 10 as will be described later.

It will be described in detail later how the panning, tilting androlling driving sections drive the movable unit 180.

The camera driving apparatus 165 further includes detectors to detectthe tilt angle of the movable unit 180 with respect to the fixed unit300 and its angle of rotation around the optical axis 10 of the lens.Specifically, the camera driving apparatus 165 further includes a firstdetector to detect the two-dimensional tilt angles of the movable unit180, i.e., its angles of rotation in the panning and tilting directions20 and 21, and a second detector to detect the angle of rotation of themovable unit 180 around the optical axis 10 of the lens. The firstdetector includes a first magnetic sensor 501 and a tilt detectingmagnet 406.

As shown in FIG. 2, the lens section 101 includes a lens 105 which hasthe optical axis 10 to produce a subject image on the imaging plane ofan image sensor 108, a lens holder 106 to hold the lens 105, a lensbarrel 107 to support the lens holder 106, and an optical axis directiondrive coil 115. The image sensor 108 may be a CMOS sensor or a CCDsensor, for example.

Meanwhile, the image sensor driving section 99 includes the image sensor108, an image sensor holder 116 to hold the image sensor 108, a magneticmember 121 fixed to the image sensor holder 116 and image sensor drivecoils 117 and 118.

Cables 110 to supply the output signal of the image sensor 108 to anexternal device are connected to the image sensor driving section 99.The cables 110 may be implemented as flexible cables, for example.

The fixed unit 300 includes a base 200, which has a depressed portion inwhich at least a portion of the movable unit 180 is loosely fit. In thisembodiment, the inner side surface of the depressed portion is definedby a concave spherical surface 200A. The base 200 further has notches200P, 200T and a contact surface 200B. In this description, the concavespherical surface will be sometimes referred to herein as a “concaveconical surface”.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 9, this camera driving apparatus 165 uses thepair of panning magnetic yokes 203 and the pair of tilting magneticyokes 204 in combination as the rolling magnetic yokes in order torotate the movable unit 180 in the rolling direction 22 and includesfour rolling drive coils 303 to be wound around them. This cameradriving apparatus 165 also uses the pair of panning drive magnets 401and the pair of tilting drive magnets 402 in combination as the rollingdrive magnets.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the rolling drive coils 303 have a crossedwinding structure in which those coils are wound around the pair ofpanning magnetic yokes 203 and the pair of tilting magnetic yokes 204perpendicularly to the coil winding direction of the panning drive coils301 and the tilting drive coil 302 so that the former coils are stackedon the latter coils. And the rolling drive coils 303 are inserted andsecured to the notches 200P and 200T of the base 200.

For example, the fixed unit 300 including the base 200 may be made of aresin. Also, in this fixed unit 300 including the base 200, the panningdrive coils 301 and rolling drive coils 303 that are wound around thepair of panning magnetic yokes 203 may have been formed together, andthe tilting drive coils 302 and rolling drive coils 303 that are woundaround the pair of tilting magnetic yokes 204 may also have been formedtogether. Furthermore, these drive coils that are wound around thosemagnetic yokes may not be exposed on the inner side surface of the base200, i.e., on the concave spherical surface 200A.

As shown in FIG. 2, the lens section 101 is comprised of a lens holder106 to which a lens 105 is fixed, a lens barrel 107, and an image sensor108. The lens holder 106 is inserted and fixed into the opening 107A ofthe lens barrel 107.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 13A and 13B, two guide bars 240 which are fixed onthe lower movable portion 102 and of which the axial direction isparallel to the optical axis 10 are inserted into the holes 107C of thelens barrel 107 to enable the lens section 101 to slide along theoptical axis 10.

The optical axis direction drive coil 115 has a winding center axiswhich agrees with the optical axis 10 and is fit into a depressedportion 107B of the lens barrel 107 so as to face the panning drivemagnets 401 and the tilting drive magnets 402.

Thus, by supplying electric power to the optical axis direction drivecoil 115, the lens section 101 receives electromagnetic force from thepanning drive magnets 401 and the tilting drive magnets 402 and getsready to shift along the optical axis 10.

Furthermore, a shift detecting magnet 109 to detect the shift along theoptical axis 10 is fit and fixed into the depressed portion 107D of thelens barrel 107. And a magnetic sensor 140 to detect the shift along theoptical axis 10 is provided for either the camera cover 150 or the lowermovable portion 102 so as to face the shift detecting magnet 109.

As a result, the magnitude of shift of the lens section 101 in theoptical axis (10) direction can be detected, and the center of the focus(i.e., nodal point) of the lens 105 can perfectly agree with thespherical centroid 70 that is the physical center of rotation of themovable unit 180 highly accurately.

Consequently, even if the lens section 101 has been rotated and shiftedin the panning direction 20 or the tilting direction 21, the shootingsession can still be carried out from the nodal point that does not varyoptically, and therefore, fine adjustment work can be cut downsignificantly when panorama synthetic shooting is carried out.

In addition, by eliminating a blurry image to be generated as abyproduct when the lens section 101 is moved in the panning direction 20or the tilting direction 21 in order to compensate for and control thewalking blur, walking blurred images can naturally be further reducedoverall.

Meanwhile, by intentionally offsetting the nodal point of the lens 105from the spherical centroid 70 that is the physical center of rotationof the movable unit 180, an approximate distance to the subject can becalculated and measured based on the magnitude of the image blurgenerated.

In that case, the focus control can be carried out more accurately andthe image quality can be improved. In addition, by measuring the degreeof blur due to defocusing, the distance to the subject can be measuredapproximately, too.

Next, the image sensor driving section 99 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 2, the movable unit 180 includes a camera cover 150 anda lower movable portion 102. The camera cover 150 to which the lenssection 101 is fixed is secured to the lower movable portion 102 thathouses the image sensor driving section 99 inside.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 13A and 13B, the image sensor holder 116 to whichthe image sensor 108 is fixed has a plane portion 116A which has a planethat intersects with the optical axis 10 at right angles, while thebottom of the lower movable portion 102 has a plane portion 102B. Asshown in FIGS. 11B and 15B, three supporting spheres 122 are heldbetween these plane portions 116A and 102B. The image sensor holder 116is supported by those spheres (i.e., balls) on the lower movable portion102 within a plane which intersects with the optical axis 10 at rightangles. In this ball supported state, the image sensor drive coils 117and 118 are secured to the image sensor holder 116 via a predeterminedgap left so as to face the tilt detecting magnet 406.

Also, a magnetic member 121 is provided for the image sensor holder 116to hold the three supporting spheres 122 under the magnetic attractiveforce of the tilt detecting magnet 406.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 13B, a pair of image sensor drive coils117 is arranged parallel to the tilting direction rotation axis 11, andanother pair of image sensor drive coils 118 is arranged parallel to thepanning direction rotation axis 12, with respect to the tilt detectingmagnet 406 which is magnetized at a single pole in the optical axis (10)direction.

Furthermore, the respective winding center axes of these two pairs ofimage sensor drive coils 117 and 118 are parallel to the optical axis10. These image sensor drive coils 117 and 118 are arranged so as topartially overlap with quadruple regions which are defined by thetilting direction rotation axis 11 and the panning direction rotationaxis 12 by projecting the tilt detecting magnet 406 in the optical axis(10) direction.

Consequently, by supplying electric power to the pair of image sensordrive coils 117, the image sensor holder 116 receives electromagneticforce from the tilt detecting magnet 406 and is ready to shift along thetilting direction rotation axis 11 which is a rotation axis defined inthe tilting direction.

Meanwhile, by supplying electric power to the pair of image sensor drivecoils 118, the image sensor holder 116 receives electromagnetic forcefrom the tilt detecting magnet 406 and is ready to shift along thepanning direction rotation axis 12 which is a rotation axis defined inthe panning direction.

A third magnetic sensor 119 is secured to the image sensor holder 116 inthe quadruple regions that are defined by projecting the tilt detectingmagnet 406 in the optical axis (10) direction. The third magnetic sensor119 detects a variation in the magnetic force of the tilt detectingmagnet 406, thereby calculating the magnitudes of shift of the imagesensor holder 116 along the tilting direction rotation axis 11 and thepanning direction rotation axis 12.

As a result, the magnitudes of shift of the image sensor 108 along thetilting direction rotation axis 11 and the panning direction rotationaxis 12 can be detected and the shake of the image sensor 108 in thetranslational directions (i.e., along the tilting and panning directionrotation axes 11, 12) can be compensated for with respect to the opticalaxis 10.

Consequently, the translational image blur to be produced noticeablyduring a macro shooting session, in particular, can be compensated for.In addition, even image blur which is too small for conventional movableunits 180 to compensate for successfully by rotating and driving thecamera section in three axis directions can also be compensated for on apixel-by-pixel basis.

The lower movable portion 102 has a pot shape with an opening 102H andhas a convex partial sphere 102R on its outer surface. The convexpartial sphere 102R may be at least a part of a sphere and may even bean entire sphere. The convex partial sphere 102R has the sphericalcentroid 70. As shown in FIGS. 17, 18B and 19B, the convex partialsphere 102R of the lower movable portion 102 makes a point contact withthree supporting balls 55 which have been fit into three cylindricalholes 200F that have been cut through the concave spherical inner sidesurface 200A of the base 200 with supporting ball holders 56 of resin.

The convex partial sphere 102R covers the entire outer surface of thelower movable portion 102.

The spherical centroid 70 of the convex partial sphere 102 is locatedsubstantially at the center of the lower movable portion 102.

Optionally, in order to position the cables 110 which are connected tothe image sensor driving section 99 in the movable unit 180, the lowermovable portion 102 may have notched portions 102S with depressions towhich the cables 110 are partially inserted.

The movable unit 180 is provided with a tilt detecting magnet 406, thepair of panning drive magnets 401 and the pair of tilting drive magnets402. These detecting and drive magnets to be mounted may be introducedthrough the opening 102H into the lower movable portion 102 so as not tobe exposed on the convex partial sphere 102R. Also, the tilt detectingmagnet 406 may be arranged on the optical axis 10 at the bottom of thelower movable portion 102. The lower movable portion 102 may be made ofa resin with good slidability. Optionally, the lower movable portion102, tilt detecting magnet 406, pair of panning drive magnets 401 andpair of tilting drive magnets 402 may be formed altogether.

As shown in FIGS. 10B and 11B, since the panning magnetic yokes 203 andtilting magnetic yokes 204 arranged inside of the base 200 are made of amagnetic body, the panning drive magnets 401 and tilting drive magnets402 that are arranged inside of the lower movable portion 102 so as toface those yokes function as attracting magnets. As a result, magneticattractive force is generated between those yokes and magnets.Specifically, magnetic attractive force F1 is generated not only betweenthe panning magnetic yokes 203 and panning drive magnets 401 but alsobetween the tilting magnetic yokes 204 and tilting drive magnets 402.

Next, the arrangement of the supporting balls 55 will be described withreference to FIGS. 10B, 17, 18A, 18B, 19A and 19B.

In the region of the concave sphere 200A, three cylindrical holes 200Fhave been cut through the concave conical surface 200A so that whenviewed along the optical axis 10, each pair of the holes 200F is spacedapart from each other by an angle θb with respect to a start line 14that defines an angle of 45 degrees to both the panning directionrotation axis 12 and the tilting direction rotation axis 11. Each ofthose cylindrical holes 200F has a conical inner side surface. Tosupport the movable unit 180 evenly, the angle θb may be set to be 120degrees, for example.

The three supporting balls 55 are inserted into the three cylindricalholes 200F and make a line contact with the inner side surface. Thesupporting balls 55 protrude from the concave spherical surface 200A.The three supporting balls 55 each have a convex partial sphere andcontact with the convex partial sphere 102R of the lower movable portion102 at three contact points 102P.

As shown in FIG. 19B, the lines 60 and 61 which connect the respectivespherical centroids of the convex partial spheres of those supportingballs 55 (i.e., the respective spherical centroids of the supportingballs 55) to the spherical centroid 70 of the convex partial sphere 102Rof the lower movable portion 102 define a tilt angle θs (correspondingto the tilt angle C) downward with respect to a horizontal plane P whichintersects with the optical axis 10 at right angles and which passesthrough the spherical centroid 70 of the convex partial sphere 102R. Thetilt angle θs may be 45 degrees, for example, but may be any other valuefalling within the range of 30 to 60 degrees.

As a result, the lower movable portion 102 is supported at only threepoints to the fixed unit 300 and the supporting balls 55 are ready torotate. Consequently, the friction to be caused between the movable unit180 and the fixed unit 300 can be minimized and the movable unit 180 canhave very good dynamic characteristic.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 11B, the panning magnetic yokes 203 andtilting magnetic yokes 204 to be also used as rolling magnetic yokes andinserted into the base 200 are made of a magnetic body. That is whymagnetic attractive force F1 is generated between those yokes and thepanning drive magnets 401 and tilting drive magnets 402 to be also usedas rolling drive magnets and inserted into the lower movable portion 102so as to face those yokes. The magnetic attractive force F1 becomesnormal force for the convex partial sphere 102R of the movable unit 180and the three supporting balls 55. In addition, another magneticattractive force F2 is obtained as synthetic vector in the optical axis(10) direction.

With these three supporting balls 55, the movable unit 180 can besupported with respect to the fixed unit 300. In addition, since thesupporting balls 55 are arranged at regular angular intervals of 120degrees so as to be uniformly distributed around the optical axis 10,excellent dynamic characteristic is realized using a much stabilizedsupporting structure. Particularly if the tilt angle θs is set to beapproximately 45 degrees, the circumferential line contact portionbetween the supporting balls 55 and the supporting ball holders 56receives uniform force under the magnetic attractive force F2. As aresult, the coefficient of friction between the movable unit 180 and thefixed unit 300 can be further reduced.

Under this magnetic attractive force F2, the lower movable portion 102can freely rotate around the spherical centroid 70 while the threesupporting balls 55 of the base 200 and the convex partial sphere 102Rof the lower movable portion 102 are making a point contact with eachother at contact points 102P. In other words, while three contact points102P are arranged along a circle, of which the center is the opticalaxis 10, the movable unit 180 is supported by the fixed unit 300.However, this embodiment is characterized in that the concave sphericalsurface 200A of the base 200 and the convex partial sphere 102R of thelower movable portion 102 are supported so as to make a point contactwith each other at three or more points. Thus, a specific structure forgetting this support done does not have to be the supporting balls 55but may also be projections with three convex partial spheres made of aresin, for example.

It should be noted that even when some impact is applied to the cameradriving apparatus 165, the three supporting balls 55 will never fallthanks to the anti-fall regulating surface 201A of the stopper member201. By adopting such a supporting mechanism for the movable unit 180,the camera section 10 can be rotated in two tilt directions, i.e., canbe rotated not only in the panning direction 20 around the panningdirection rotation axis 12 that intersects with the optical axis 10 atright angles and that passes through the spherical centroid 70 but alsoin the tilting direction 21 around the tilting direction rotation axis11 that intersects with the optical axis 10 and the panning directionrotation axis 12 at right angles. In addition, the camera section 10 canalso be rotated in the rolling direction 22 around the optical axis 10.

In particular, since the lower movable portion 102 has such a partiallynotched spherical shape, the spherical centroid 70 agrees with thecenter and center of mass of the lower movable portion 102. That is whythe movable unit 180 can rotate in all of the panning, tilting androlling directions 20, 21 and 22 with substantially equal moments. As aresult, no matter how much the movable unit 180 has rotated in thepanning, tilting and rolling directions 20, 21 and 22, the movable unit180 can be further rotated with substantially constant driving force inthe panning, tilting and rolling directions 20, 21 and 22. Consequently,the movable unit 180 can always be driven highly accurately.

Furthermore, since the spherical centroid 70 (i.e., the center ofrotation of the movable unit 180) agrees with the center of mass of themovable unit 180, the movable unit 180 rotates in the panning, tiltingand rolling directions 20, 21 and 22 with very small moment. That is whythe movable unit 180 can be kept in a neutral state or rotated in thepanning, tilting and rolling directions 20, 21 and 22 with only a littledriving force. Consequently, the power dissipation of the camera drivingapparatus 165 can be cut down. Among other things, the drive currentthat needs to be supplied to keep the movable unit 180 in the neutralstate can be reduced to almost zero.

As can be seen, according to this embodiment, the movable unit 180 thathouses the lens section 101 and image sensor driving section 99 insideis supported exclusively at the spherical centroid 70 that defines itscenter of mass. Consequently, the frictional load can be reduced and themechanical resonance can also be significantly reduced in the drivefrequency range.

In addition, the panning drive magnets 401 and tilting drive magnets 402apply constant normal force dispersively to between the supporting balls55 and the convex partial sphere 102R with constant magnetic attractiveforce without being affected by the angle of rotation. As a result, thevariation in frictional load according to the angle of rotation can beminimized and good phase and gain characteristics are realized in thedrive frequency range.

Optionally, if the lower movable portion 102 with the convex partialsphere 102R and the supporting ball holders 56 are made of a resinmaterial such as plastic, the friction between the supporting balls 55and convex partial sphere 102R that contact with each other can befurther reduced. Consequently, a supporting structure with excellentabrasive resistance is realized.

The camera driving apparatus 165 typically further includes a stoppermember 201 which restricts the movement of the movable unit 180 in orderto prevent the movable unit 180 from falling off the fixed unit 300. Thestopper member 201 has an anti-fall regulating surface 201A. If themovable unit 180 has moved away from the fixed unit 300, the lowermovable portion 102 of the movable unit 180 contacts with the anti-fallregulating surface 201A, thus restricting the movement of the movableunit 180. As shown in FIG. 11B, a predetermined gap (not shown) is leftbetween the convex partial sphere 102R of the lower movable portion 102and the anti-fall regulating surface 201A of the stopper member 201 sothat the lower movable portion 102 can rotate freely in the entiremovable range with respect to the spherical centroid 70.

For example, the anti-fall regulating surface 201A may have a concavepartial sphere, of which the center agrees with the spherical centroid70 of the convex partial sphere 102R of the lower movable portion 102.The stopper member 201 is fixed on the contact surface 200B of the base200. Between the convex partial sphere 102R and the anti-fall regulatingsurface 201A, a gap has been created while the convex partial sphere102R of the lower movable portion 102 makes a point contact with thesupporting balls 55 of the fixed unit 300 at contact points 102P.

This gap has been determined so that even if the convex partial sphere102R of the lower movable portion 102 has lost contact with thesupporting balls 55, the original state where the convex partial sphere102R makes a point contact with the supporting balls 55 at those contactpoints 102P under the magnetic attractive force F1 can be recovered.

That is to say, even if the movable unit 180 has moved upward by adistance that is as long as the gap to bring the anti-fall regulatingsurface 201A into contact with the convex partial sphere 102R, themovable unit 180 can recover the original state where the convex partialsphere 102R makes a point contact with the supporting balls 55 under themagnetic attractive force F1.

Consequently, this embodiment provides a camera driving apparatus withimpact resistance that is high enough to recover the original goodsupporting state immediately with the magnetic attractive force F1 evenif the movable unit 180 has dropped out of its predetermined positionmomentarily.

Hereinafter, a structure for driving the movable unit 180 will bedescribed in detail.

In the lower movable portion 102, the pair of panning drive magnets 401is arranged symmetrically with respect to the optical axis 10 in orderto rotate and drive the movable unit 180 in the panning direction 20,and the pair of tilting drive magnets 402 is arranged symmetrically withrespect to the optical axis 10 in order to rotate and drive the movableunit 180 in the tilting direction 21. In this description, if any memberis provided for the fixed unit 300 “symmetrically with respect to theoptical axis 10”, it means that the member is arranged symmetricallywith respect to the optical axis 10 when the movable unit 180 is in theneutral state (i.e., not tilted with respect to the fixed unit 300).

The panning drive magnets 401 have been magnetized at a single pole soas to have a magnetic flux along the tilting direction rotation axis 11.In the same way, the tilting drive magnets 402 have also been magnetizedat a single pole so as to have a magnetic flux along the panningdirection rotation axis 12.

As described above, the pair of panning magnetic yokes 203 and pair oftilting magnetic yokes 204 are arranged along the circumference of thebase 200, of which the center is defined at the optical axis 10, so asto face the pair of panning drive magnets 401 and the pair of tiltingdrive magnets 402, respectively.

As shown in FIGS. 6A through 9, panning drive coils 301 are wound aroundeach of the two panning magnetic yokes 203 that are arranged on the base200 along the tilting direction rotation axis 11. In addition, therolling drive coil 303 is further wound around the panning drive coils301 in a winding direction that intersects with the winding direction ofthe panning drive coils 301 at right angles.

In the same way, tilting drive coils 302 are wound around each of thetwo tilting magnetic yokes 204 that are arranged along the panningdirection rotation axis 12 that intersects with the tilting directionrotation axis 11 at right angles. In addition, the rolling drive coil303 is further wound around the tilting drive coils 302 in a windingdirection that intersects with the winding direction of the tiltingdrive coils 302 at right angles.

In other words, along the circumference of a circle which is drawnaround the optical axis 10, the driving sections for the panning,tilting and rolling directions 20, 21 and 22 are arranged dispersivelyand independently of each other.

By adopting such a structure, magnetic gaps can be left evenly betweenthe panning magnetic yokes 203 and the panning drive magnets 401 andbetween the tilting magnetic yokes 204 and the tilting drive magnets402. That is why the flux density can increased evenly in all of thosegaps. As a result, the drive efficiency can be increased significantlyin the panning, tilting and rolling directions 20, 21 and 22.

Next, it will be described how those tilt and rotation driving sectionsmay have their heights adjusted in the optical axis (10) direction.

As shown in FIG. 10B, the lines 30 and 31 which intersect at rightangles with the winding center axes 40, 41 of the tilting drive coils302 that are wound around the tilting magnetic yokes 204 to be fixed tothe base 200 and which pass through the spherical centroid 70 and therespective centers of the tilting drive coils 302 define a tilt angle θpof 45 degrees or less downward with respect to a horizontal plane Pwhich intersects with the optical axis 10 at right angles and whichpasses through the spherical centroid 70. Meanwhile, the pair of tiltingdrive magnets 402 is arranged tilted with respect to the movable unit180 so as to face the pair of tilting drive coils 302.

As shown in FIG. 11B, the lines 32 and 33 which intersect at rightangles with the winding center axes 42, 43 of the panning drive coils301 that are wound around the panning magnetic yokes 203 to be fixed tothe base 200 and which pass through the spherical centroid 70 and therespective centers of the panning drive coils 301 define a tilt angle θp(i.e., tilt angle A) of 45 degrees or less downward with respect to thehorizontal plane P which intersects with the optical axis 10 at rightangles and which passes through the spherical centroid 70.

Meanwhile, the pair of panning drive magnets 401 is also arranged tiltedwith respect to the movable unit 180 so as to face the pair of panningdrive coils 301. Likewise, the lines which intersect at right angleswith the winding center axes of the rolling drive coils 303 and whichpass through the spherical centroid 70 and the respective centers of therolling drive coils 303 also define a tilt angle θr (i.e., tilt angle B)of 45 degrees or less downward with respect to the horizontal plane Pwhich intersects with the optical axis at right angles and which passesthrough the spherical centroid 70.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 10B, the winding center axes 40 and 41become the centerlines of the pair of notches 200T through which thetilting magnetic yokes 204 and the tilting drive coils 302 shown inFIGS. 8 and 9 are inserted into the base 200. As shown in FIG. 11B, thecenterlines of the pair of notches 200P through which the panningmagnetic yokes 203 and the panning drive coils 301 are inserted alsoagree with the winding center axes of the panning drive coils 301.

As described above, by setting the tilt angle θp to be 45 degrees orless, the height of the fixed unit 300 can be reduced, and the space tobe allocated to the driver and the height of the driver can be cut down.The tilt angle θp may be set to fall within the range of 20 to 25degrees, for example. The same can be said about the tilt angle θr, too.

By supplying electric power to the pair of panning drive coils 301, thepair of panning drive magnets 401 receives the electromagnetic force ofthe couple, and the lower movable portion 102, i.e., the movable unit180, is rotated and driven in the panning direction 20 around thepanning direction rotation axis 12. In the same way, by supplyingelectric power to the pair of tilting drive coils 302, the pair oftilting drive magnets 402 receives the electromagnetic force of thecouple, and the movable unit 180 is rotated and driven in the tiltingdirection 21 around the tilting direction rotation axis 11.

Furthermore, by supplying electric power to the panning drive coils 301and tilting drive coils 302 simultaneously, the movable unit 180 inwhich the image sensor driving section 99 and the lens section 101 arehoused can be tilted two-dimensionally. FIGS. 14, 15A and 15B illustratea state where by supplying substantially the same amount of current tothe panning drive coils 301 and the tilting drive coils 302simultaneously, the movable unit 180 gets tilted at the same angle inthe panning and tilting directions 20 and 21, and eventually gets tiltedalong the line 14 that forms an angle of 45 degrees with respect to thepanning and tilting directions 20 and 21 so as to define a syntheticangle θxy with respect to the optical axis 10.

Also, by supplying electric power to the four rolling drive coils 303,the movable unit 180 receives electromagnetic force in the samerotational direction and is rotated and driven in the rolling direction22 around the optical axis 10.

As can be seen, according to this embodiment, a moving magnet drivingmethod in which the panning drive magnets 401 and tilting drive magnets402 are provided for the movable unit 180 is adopted. According to sucha configuration, generally there is a concern about an increase in theweight of the movable unit 180. However, according to thisconfiguration, there is no need to provide any suspended cables to tiltand drive the movable unit 180 but just drive signals of the lenssection 101 and the image sensor driving section 99, and the outputsignal of the image sensor 180 need to be transmitted between themovable unit 180 and an external device.

It should be noted that if the image sensor driving section 99 is awireless camera, just a drive line for the lens section 101 and a powerline and a drive line for the image sensor driving section 99 need to beprovided.

In addition, the center of mass of the movable unit 180 agrees with itscenter of rotation. That is why even if the weight increases byintroducing those drive magnets, the moment of rotation of the movableunit 180 does not increase so much. That is why according to thisembodiment, the advantages of the moving magnet driving method which isusually adopted to tilt and rotate the movable unit 180 can be achievedwith the problem caused by an increase in weight avoided.

Next, the drive line and output signal transmitting means for the imagesensor driving section 99 will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 7, 12A, 12B, 15A and 15B, the camera driving apparatus165 includes, as transmission means, a pair of cables 110 which isarranged symmetrically along the line 14 (that defines an angle of 45degrees with respect to the panning and tilting directions 20 and 21)with respect to the optical axis 10.

Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, first fixing holders 120 whichpinch and position the cables 110 are secured to the contact surface200C of the base 200. Furthermore, the tilted surface 120A of the firstfixing holders 120 (see FIG. 1) is tilted downward with respect to thehorizontal plane which intersects with the optical axis 10 at rightangles and which includes the spherical centroid 70 as shown in FIGS.12B and 15B.

The back surface of the cables 110 is either bonded to this tiltedsurface 120A with an adhesive or secured to the tilted surface 120A bybeing pinched by second fixing holders 130. Furthermore, by securing thefirst fixing holders 120 to the contact surface 200C of the base 200,the cables 110 are positioned by being pinched between the tiltedsurface 120A of the first fixing holders 120 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) and thesecond fixing holders 130.

As a result, the cables 110 are bent downward. As shown in FIG. 15B,even if the movable unit 180 is defining a tilt angle θxy, the cables110 can still draw gentle curves. Consequently, the reaction of theflexible spring property of the cables 110 on the lower movable portion102 can be reduced.

In addition, according to the moving magnet driving method, the heatgenerated by the panning drive coils 301, tilting drive coils 302 androlling drive coils 303 can be dissipated into the base 200 via thepanning magnetic yokes 203 and tilting magnetic yokes 204, which is veryadvantageous. Furthermore, even if the tilt angles in the panningdirection 20 and tilting direction 21 and the angle of rotation in therolling direction 22 are equal to or greater than 20 degrees, the sizeand weight of the movable unit 180 can still be reduced, which isbeneficial, too. Nevertheless, according to the moving coil drivingmethod, the drive coils could be too big to avoid a significant increasein the weight of the fixed unit 300.

As can be seen, according to this embodiment, the lens section 101,image sensor driving section 99, lower movable portion 102, convexpartial sphere 102R and anti-fall regulating surface 201A of the lowermovable portion 102, supporting balls 55 provided for the base 200,tilting and driving section, rotation driving section and tilt detectingmagnet 406 are all configured so that their center axis passes throughthe spherical centroid 70 that is their supporting and driving center.

As a result, the center of mass of the movable unit 180 agrees with thespherical centroid 70 and the movable unit 180 is supported at itscenter of mass. Consequently, it is possible to rotate and drive themovable unit 180 around three axes that pass through the center of massand that intersect with each other at right angles while preventing themovable unit 180 from falling.

Optionally, the camera driving apparatus 165 may include a viscousmember (not shown) in order to reduce the index of amplitudeaugmentation (i.e., Q value) of the movable unit 180. In that case, asshown in FIGS. 10B and 11B, the viscous member may be provided betweenthe convex partial sphere 102R of the lower movable portion 102 and theconcave spherical surface 200A of the base 200 or the anti-fallregulating surface 201A of the stopper member 201. As a result, it ispossible to reduce the index (Q value) of amplitude augmentation of thevibration or the Q value of the mechanical natural vibration to beproduced between the panning and tilting drive magnets 401, 402 of themovable unit 180 and the panning and tilting magnetic yokes 203, 204 ofthe base 200 due to a magnetic spring effect caused by a variation inmagnetic attractive force that has been produced by tilt and rotation.Consequently, good controllability can be achieved.

Optionally, in the entire movable range of the movable unit 180, thesurface of the convex partial sphere 102R of the lower movable portion102 may have unevenness (not shown) in a region where there are no locusof the contact point 102P. As the area of contact with the viscousmember increases due to the presence of the unevenness, the viscousresistance increases. As a result, the viscous damping characteristicimproves significantly.

Hereinafter, it will be described how to detect the tilt and rotation ofthe movable unit 180. First of all, it will be described in detail howto detect the tilt angle of the movable unit 180 in the panning andtilting directions 20 and 21 thereof.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 8 and 9, the camera driving apparatus 165includes a first magnetic sensor 501 as a first detector to detect thetilt angle of the movable unit 180. The first magnetic sensor 501 candetect a tilt or rotation around two axes and is arranged so as to facethe tilt detecting magnet 406 which has been magnetized at a single polein the optical axis (10) direction. The first magnetic sensor 501 isinserted into the hole 200H and fixed to the base 200 via a circuitboard 502.

Also, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 12B, the circuit board 502 is fixed to thebase 200 at three points with adjusting screws and compression springs600. If the three adjusting screws are turned, the relative tilt anddistance of the first magnetic sensor 501 with respect to the tiltdetecting magnet 406 change. As a result, the tilt output signal of thefirst magnetic sensor 501 can be adjusted to the best one.

Also, one pair of first magnetic sensors 501 is arranged symmetricallyto each other on the tilting direction rotation axis 11 around theoptical axis 10 and another pair of first magnetic sensors 501 isarranged symmetrically to each other on the panning direction rotationaxis 12 around the optical axis 10. The first magnetic sensors 501 cancalculate panning and tilting tilt angles by detecting the variation inthe magnetic force of the tilt detecting magnet 406 to be produced bythe tilting operation of the movable unit 180 in the panning and tiltingdirections 20 and 21 as a difference between biaxial components.

Optionally, one pair of first magnetic sensors 501 may be arrangedsymmetrically to each other along a line 13 which defines an angle of 45degrees with respect to the tilting direction rotation axis 11 andpanning direction rotation axis 12 and another pair of first magneticsensor 501 may be arranged symmetrically along a line 14 which alsodefines an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the tilting and panningdirection rotation axes 11, 12 as shown in FIG. 1.

As can be seen, according to this embodiment, the interval between thetilt detecting magnet 406 and the spherical centroid 70 can beshortened, the distance to go for the tilt detecting magnet 406 can beshortened for the tilt angle, and therefore, the size of the firstmagnetic sensors 501 can be reduced.

In addition, according to this embodiment, by arranging the firstmagnetic sensors 501 along the lines 13 and 14, the best panning andtilting tilt angles can be calculated without being affected by amagnetic field to be generated by supplying electric power to thepanning drive coils 301 and tilting drive coils 302.

In the embodiment described above, the first detector is supposed toinclude the first magnetic sensors 501 and the tilt detecting magnet406. However, the first detector may have any other configuration. Forexample, the first detector may include a photosensor which is providedfor the fixed unit 300 and a photosensing pattern provided for themovable unit 180 on the optical axis 10. As the movable unit 180 tilts,the photosensing pattern also tilts, and therefore, the light to beincident on the photosensor varies. By sensing this variation in light,the photosensor can also calculate two-dimensional tilt angles in thepanning and tilting directions as well.

Next, a second detector will be described.

The second detector detects the angle of rotation of the movable unit180 in the rolling direction 22 around the optical axis 10. As shown inFIGS. 16A, 16B and 16C, the second detector includes the pair of tiltingdrive magnets 402 mounted on the movable unit 180 and a pair of secondmagnetic sensors 700 which is provided for the base 200 so as to facethe pair of tilting drive magnets 402.

If the movable unit 180 rotates in the rolling direction 22, the pair oftilting drive magnets 402 also rotates to cause a steep variation inmagnetic pole with respect to the second magnetic sensors 700. That iswhy by making the second magnetic sensors 700 detect such a steepmagnetic pole variation involved with the rotation in the rollingdirection 22, the angle of rotation in the rolling direction 22 can bedetected highly accurately. Although the tilting drive magnets 402 aresupposed to form part of the second detector in this embodiment, thepanning drive magnets 401 may form part of the second detector instead.

Next, shooting orientations of the camera driving apparatus 165 will bedescribed with reference to FIGS. 20A and 20B.

FIG. 20A illustrates a certain shooting orientation of the cameradriving apparatus 165 described above. The tilting direction rotationaxis 11 is parallel to a reference horizontal plane HS at the subjectbut the panning direction rotation axis 12 is perpendicular to thereference horizontal plane HS. Even in such a shooting orientation, thecamera can naturally be driven well.

FIG. 20B illustrates another shooting orientation of the camera drivingapparatus 165. In this case, both the tilting direction rotation axis 11and the panning direction rotation axis 12 define a tilt angle of 45degrees with respect to a reference horizontal plane HS at the subject.

According to the shooting orientation shown in FIG. 20B, if the movableunit 180 needs to be driven in the direction parallel to the referencehorizontal plane HS (i.e., if the movable unit 180 needs to be panningdriven), the movable unit 180 can be driven in the original panningdirection 20 shown in FIG. 20A by supplying electric power to both thepanning drive coils 301 and the tilting drive coils 302, which is one ofthe advantages achieved by the shooting orientation shown in FIG. 20B.On the other hand, if the movable unit 180 needs to be driven in thedirection perpendicular to the reference horizontal plane HS at thesubject (i.e., if the movable unit 180 needs to be tilting driven), themovable unit 180 can be driven in the original tilting direction 21shown in FIG. 20A by supplying electric power to both the panning drivecoils 301 and the tilting drive coils 302, which is another one of theadvantages achieved by the shooting orientation shown in FIG. 20B.

That is to say, by supplying electric power to the two pairs of coilswhen the movable unit needs to be driven in the panning and tiltingdirections in which shooting sessions should be carried out frequently,the movable unit can be driven in the original panning and tiltingdirections 20 and 21 shown in FIG. 20A.

As a result, if the panning drive coils 301 and tilting drive coils 302are driven, the angles of rotation of the movable unit 180 along thepanning direction rotation axis 12 and tilting direction rotation axis11 shown in FIG. 20B become 1/√2 times as large as the angles ofrotation of the movable unit 180 in the original panning and tiltingdirections shown in FIG. 20A.

Thus, according to the shooting orientation shown in FIG. 20B, the angleof rotation when driven in the original panning and tilting directionsin which shooting should be carried out very frequently increases 1/√2times. Consequently, the magnetic spring effect of the magneticattractive force to be produced between the drive magnets provided forthe movable unit 180 and the magnetic yokes provided for the fixed unit300 can be reduced, and the camera can be driven just as intended.

As can be seen, in the camera driving apparatus 165 of this embodiment,the spherical centroid 70 of the convex partial sphere 102R provided forthe movable portion of the movable unit 180 is defined on the opticalaxis of the lens of the camera section 100. In addition, the center axisof the supporting balls 55 which are arranged along the circumference ofthe fixed unit 300 passes through the spherical centroid 70. As aresult, a structure for supporting the movable unit 180 at its center ofmass is realized, and the mechanical resonance can be reducedsignificantly in the drive frequency range.

Also, constant normal force can be applied as magnetic attractive forcethat is not affected by the angle of rotation of the movable unit 180 toa three-point supporting structure formed by the supporting balls 55 ofthe fixed unit 300 and the convex partial sphere 102R of the movableunit 180. As a result, the variation in frictional load with the angleof rotation can be reduced and good phase and gain characteristics arerealized in the drive frequency range.

In addition, in order to prevent the movable unit 180 from falling evenwhen exposed to some disturbance such as vibration or impact, which is aserious problem peculiar to a conventional supporting structure thatuses magnetic attractive force, the stopper member 201 provided for thefixed unit 300 has an anti-fall regulating surface 201A with apredetermined gap which is wide enough for the movable unit 180 torotate left. As a result, it is possible to prevent the movable unit 180from falling just as intended while avoiding increasing the size of thedriver too much.

Also, even if the movable unit 180 has fallen to the point that theconvex partial sphere 102R of the movable unit 180 contacts with theanti-fall regulating surface 201A of the fixed unit 300, the position ofthe anti-fall regulating surface 201A may be determined so that theconvex partial sphere 102R of the movable unit 180 and the supportingballs 55 of the fixed unit 300 can recover their point contact under themagnetic attractive force. Consequently, this embodiment provides acamera driving apparatus with impact resistance that is high enough torecover the original good supporting state immediately even if themovable unit 180 has fallen momentarily.

Furthermore, the driving sections provided in the panning, tilting androlling directions include two pairs of drive magnets which are fixed tothe movable unit 180 and arranged on two orthogonal lines on a planethat intersects with the optical axis at right angles, and two pairs ofdrive coils which are provided for the fixed unit 300 along acircumference of a circle, of which the center is the optical axis, soas to face the two pairs of drive magnets.

These drive magnets and drive coils are arranged at a lower level in theoptical axis direction than the horizontal plane including the sphericalcentroid 70 so as to define a tilt angle with respect to the horizontalplane. As a result, the movable unit 180 can be driven at the sphericalcentroid 70 and can have its height reduced.

In addition, by making the movable unit 180 and base 200 of a resinmaterial or by coating the surface portions of the convex partial sphere102R and supporting ball holder 56 with a resin member, a supportingstructure with low friction and good abrasion resistance is realized.

Furthermore, the gap to be left between the convex partial sphere 102Rof the movable unit 180 and the concave spherical inner surface of thebase or the anti-fall regulating surface 201A may be filled with aviscous member. Then, the index (Q value) of the amplitude augmentationof the variation or the Q value of the mechanical natural vibration tobe produced between the drive magnets of the movable unit 180 and themagnetic yokes of the fixed unit 300 due to the magnetic spring effectcaused by a variation in the magnetic attractive force can be reduced.As a result, good controllability can be achieved.

Consequently, the camera driving apparatus 165 of this embodiment cantilt the movable unit 180 by as large an angle as ±10 degrees or more inthe panning and tilting directions 20 and 21, for example, and canrotate the movable unit 180 by as large an angle as ±10 degrees or morein the rolling direction 22. In addition, the camera driving apparatus165 can carry out a shake compensation control in a broad frequencyrange to about 50 Hz.

Furthermore, by providing means for shifting the lens 105 in the opticalaxis direction with respect to the movable unit 180, the nodal point ofthe lens can agree with the spherical centroid that is the physicalcenter of rotation of the entire camera section 100 highly accurately.Consequently, even if the camera section has been rotated and shifted inthe panning direction 20 or the tilting direction 21, the shootingsession can still be carried out from the nodal point that does notvary, and therefore, fine adjustment work can be cut down significantlywhen panorama synthetic shooting is carried out, for example.

In addition, by eliminating a blurry image to be generated as abyproduct due to a shift of the nodal point when the camera section 10is moved in the panning direction 20 or the tilting direction 21,walking blurred images can naturally be further reduced overall.

Meanwhile, by intentionally offsetting the nodal point of the lens fromthe spherical centroid 70 that is the physical center of rotation of thecamera section 100, an approximate distance to the subject can becalculated and measured based on the magnitude of the significant imageblur generated.

Furthermore, by providing the image sensor driving section 99 for movingthe image sensor 108 two-dimensionally with respect to the movable unit180 within a plane which intersects with the optical axis direction atright angles, the two-dimensional position of the image sensor 108 canbe controlled more accurately within the plane that intersects with theoptical axis direction at right angles. As a result, the camera shakecompensation in the translational direction, which has been difficult toget done according to the rotational drive shake compensation method,can get done on a pixel-by-pixel basis by driving the image sensor.

Consequently, high-speed panning, tilting and rolling operations can beperformed on the camera section. In addition, by matching the nodalpoint perfectly to the spherical centroid that is the physical center ofrotation of the camera section, the image blur to be caused to an imageshot by the walking blur while a shooting session is carried out by auser who is walking can be compensated for and the image blur caused bythe shake compensation operation can also be cut down. Furthermore, byproviding the image sensor driving section for moving the image sensortwo-dimensionally within a plane which intersects with the optical axisdirection at right angles, not only can a three-axis direction shakecompensation control be performed on the movable unit but also can thecamera shake compensation be carried out in the translational directionof the camera as well. Also, since this camera driving apparatus has asmall and robust stopper structure, a camera driving apparatus whichexhibits high resistance to external shocks such as vibrations and theimpact caused by dropping is realized.

On top of that, as driving means for shifting the lens 105 in theoptical axis direction with respect to the movable unit 180, the panningdrive magnets and the tilting drive magnets can be used in combinationas drive magnets.

Furthermore, the driving means for shifting the image sensor 108 withrespect to the movable unit 180 may also use the tilt detecting magnet406 as a drive magnet, too.

In addition, the detecting means for detecting the magnitude of shift ofthe image sensor 108 with respect to the movable unit 180 may also usethe tilt detecting magnet 406 as a magnet for detecting the magnitude ofshift. As can be seen, according to this embodiment, the same magnet maybe shared in common by both the driving means and the detecting means.As a result, the overall size and the number of parts of the cameradriving apparatus 165 can both be cut down.

Moreover, the rolling drive coils have a crossed winding structure so asto be stacked on, and wound perpendicularly to, the coil windingdirection of the pair of panning drive coils 301 that is wound aroundthe pair of panning magnetic yokes, and to be stacked on, and woundperpendicularly to, the coil winding direction of the pair of tiltingdrive coils 302 that is wound around the pair of tilting magnetic yokes.Consequently, the space to be allocated to the fixed unit 300 and thesize and number of parts thereof can all be reduced.

As can be seen, the camera driving apparatus 165 of this embodiment canperform high-speed panning, tilting and rolling operations on the camerasection 100, can perform a shake compensation in the translationaldirection on a pixel-by-pixel basis, and can compensate very well forthe image blur to be caused to an image shot by a camera shake while ashooting session is carried out by a user who is walking.

On top of that, by performing high-speed panning, tilting and rollingoperations on the camera section 100 in a broad frequency range, even asubject who is moving quickly can also be tracked and shot.

What is more, by using the small and robust stopper structure, a cameradriving apparatus which exhibits high resistance to external shocks suchas vibrations and the impact caused by dropping is realized.

Embodiment 2

Hereinafter, a second embodiment of a camera driving apparatus accordingto the present invention will be described.

FIG. 21 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a detailedconfiguration for a movable unit 180 according to the second embodimentof the present invention.

FIGS. 22A and 22B are respectively a top view of the camera drivingapparatus 165 and a cross-sectional view thereof as viewed on a planeincluding the optical axis 10 and a panning direction rotation axis 12.

FIGS. 23A and 23B are respectively a top view of the camera drivingapparatus 165 and a cross-sectional view thereof as viewed on a planeincluding the optical axis 10 and a tilting direction rotation axis 11.

FIGS. 24A and 24B are respectively a top view of the camera drivingapparatus 165 and a cross-sectional view thereof as viewed on a planeincluding the optical axis 10 and a line 14.

FIG. 25A is a perspective view of a lens section 101, an image sensor108, an image sensor holder 116, panning drive magnets 401 and tiltingdrive magnets 402 as viewed from above them.

FIG. 25B is a perspective view of the lens section 101, the image sensor108, the image sensor holder 116, image sensor drive coils 117, 118,image sensor rotating drive coils 123, the panning drive magnets 401 andthe tilting drive magnets 402 as viewed from below them.

FIG. 25C is another perspective view of the lens section 101, the imagesensor 108, the image sensor holder 116, the image sensor drive coil118, the image sensor rotating drive coils 123, the panning drivemagnets 401 and the panning drive magnets 401 as viewed from below them.

FIG. 26A is a top view of the camera driving apparatus 165. FIG. 26B isa cross-sectional view of the camera driving apparatus 165 as viewed ona plane including the optical axis 10 and the line 14 in a state wherethe movable unit 180 is tilted to the same degree (at a synthetic angleθxy) in the panning direction 20 and tilting direction 21.

Hereinafter, a typical configuration for this camera driving apparatus165 will be described with reference to these drawings.

In the image sensor driving section 99 of this embodiment, the imagesensor holder 116 includes image sensor rotating drive coils 123 asshown in FIGS. 21, 25A, 25B and 25C, which is a major difference fromthe first embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 21, the lens section 101 includes a lens 105 which hasthe optical axis 10 to produce a subject image on the imaging plane ofan image sensor 108, a lens holder 106 to hold the lens 105, and a lensbarrel 107 to support the lens holder 106.

Meanwhile, the image sensor driving section 99 includes the image sensor108, an image sensor holder 116 to hold the image sensor 108, a magneticmember 121 fixed to the image sensor holder 116, image sensor drivecoils 117 and 118, and image sensor rotating drive coils 123.

The driving means for shifting the lens barrel 107 in the optical axis(10) direction and means for detecting the magnitude of its shift andthe driving means for shifting the image sensor 108 two-dimensionallywithin a plane that intersects with the optical axis 10 at right anglesand means for detecting the magnitude of its shift may be the same aswhat has already been described for the first embodiment, and a detaileddescription thereof will be omitted herein.

As shown in FIGS. 25B and 25C, the pair of image sensor rotating drivecoils 123 is fixed onto the image sensor holder 116 so as to leave a gapwith the inner curved surfaces 402A (i.e., closer to the sphericalcentroid 70) of the pair of tilting drive magnets 402 that is fixed tothe movable unit 180 and to face the tilting drive magnets 402.

Alternatively, the pair of image sensor rotating drive coils 123 may befixed onto the image sensor holder 116 so as to leave a gap with theinner curved surfaces (i.e., closer to the spherical centroid 70) of thepair of panning drive magnets 401 that is fixed to the movable unit 180and to face the panning drive magnets 401.

The winding center axis of the image sensor rotating drive coils 123 ison a plane including the optical axis 10 and the panning directionrotation axis 12 and defines a predetermined tilt angle with respect tothe optical axis 10.

That is why if electric power is supplied to the pair of image sensorrotating drive coils 123, the image sensor holder 116 on which the imagesensor 106 is mounted will receive electromagnetic force from the pairof tilting drive magnets 402 and will be rotated and driven on theoptical axis 10.

Consequently, the image sensor 108 can be shifted linearly along thetilting direction rotation axis 11 and along the panning directionrotation axis 12 and can be rotated on the optical axis 10, too.

According to this second embodiment, the image sensor 108 can be rotatedon the optical axis 10, and therefore, compensation can be carried outin the rolling direction 22 on a pixel-by-pixel basis. As a result,while performing rotation blur compensation macroscopically by drivingthe entire movable unit 180 in the rolling direction 22, a residualsubtle rotation blur of the image can be compensated formicroscopically. By controlling the image sensor on a pixel-by-pixelbasis in this manner, a camera driving apparatus which can produce ahigh-quality image can be provided.

The other effects to be achieved by this embodiment are the same as theones of the first embodiment.

Embodiment 3

Hereinafter, a third embodiment of a camera driving apparatus accordingto the present invention will be described.

FIG. 27 is a perspective view illustrating an arrangement of angularvelocity sensors 900, 901 and 902 provided for a camera unit 170according to the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 28 is ablock diagram of the camera unit 170.

An embodiment of a camera unit according to the present invention willbe described. The camera unit 170 according to the third embodiment ofthe present invention includes a camera driving apparatus 165 and acontrol section 800 and can compensate for an image blur to be producedduring a shooting session performed by a person who is walking.

As shown in FIGS. 27 and 28, the camera unit 170 includes a cameradriving apparatus 165, angular velocity sensors 900, 901, 902 and acontrol section 800. The control section 800 typically includes anarithmetic processing section 94, an image processing section 1000,analog circuits 91 p, 91 t, 91 r, amplifier circuits 92 p, 92 t, 92 r,A/D converters 93 p, 93 t, 93 r, D/A converters 95 p, 95 t, 95 r, drivercircuits 96 p, 96 t, 96 r, analog circuits 97 p, 97 t, 97 r, andamplifier circuits 98 p, 98 t, 98 r. However, this is just an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention. Alternatively, the analog circuits97 p, 97 t, 97 r and amplifier circuits 98 p, 98 t, 98 r may also beprovided for the camera driving apparatus 165. Optionally, the angularvelocity sensors 900, 901, 902, analog circuits 91 p, 91 t, 91 r,amplifier circuits 92 p, 92 t, 92 r and A/D converters 93 p, 93 t, 93 rmay form an angular velocity sensor module (not shown), which may beelectrically connected to the arithmetic processing section 94.

The arithmetic processing section 94 controls the entire camera unit170, and may be implemented as combination of a ROM which stores programinformation and a CPU which processes the program information, forexample. The ROM may store an autofocus (AF) control program, anauto-exposure (AE) control program, and a program to control the overalloperation of the camera unit 170, for example.

The image processing section 1000 receives the captured image data fromthe image sensor 108 and subjects the captured image data to variouskinds of processing, thereby generating image data. Examples of thosevarious kinds of processing include gamma correction, white balancecorrection, YC conversion, electronic zooming, compression andexpansion. However, these are just examples. The image processingsection 1000 is typically an imaging signal processor (ISP). Optionally,the arithmetic processing section 94, the image processing section 1000and other circuit components may be implemented as a singlesemiconductor chip.

The angular velocity sensors 900, 901 and 902 are attached to either thebase 200 of the camera driving apparatus 165 or a camera unit body (notshown) to which the base 200 is fixed. These angular velocity sensors900, 901 and 902 detect the angular velocities around the axes that areindicated by the dotted lines in FIG. 28. Specifically, the angularvelocity sensors 900, 901 and 902 detect angular velocities in thepanning, tilting and rolling directions 20, and 22, respectively.Although FIG. 27 illustrates an exemplary configuration in which threeindependent angular velocity sensors 900, 901, 902 are used, a singleangular velocity sensor which can detect angular velocities around threeaxes may be used instead. Also, as long as the angular velocity sensorscan detect angular velocities around three axes that intersect with eachother at right angles, those three axes do not always have to agree withthe panning, tilting and rolling directions 20, 21 and 22. If the axesof the angular velocities detected by the angular velocity sensors donot agree with the panning, tilting and rolling directions 20, 21, 22,then the arithmetic processing section 94 may convert accelerationsdetected in the respective axis directions into angular velocities inthe panning, tilting and rolling directions 20, 21 and 22, respectively.

For example, the angles of the shake in the panning and tiltingdirections 20 and 21 caused by a camera shake during a shooting sessionmay be detected by the angular velocity sensors 900 and 901,respectively. On the other hand, the angle of the shake in the rollingdirection 22 caused by a shift of the center of mass of a person who isshooting while walking may be detected by the angular velocity sensor902. As shown in FIG. 28, information about the angles of the shake thathave been detected by the angular velocity sensors 900, 901 and 902 isoutput as angular velocity signals 80 p, 80 t and 80 r, respectively.

The angular velocity signals 80 p, 80 t, 80 r are converted into signalsto be easily processed by the arithmetic processing section 94.Specifically, the analog circuits 91 p, 91 t, 91 r remove noisecomponents and DC drift components from the angular velocity signals 80p, 80 t, 80 r and output the noise reduced signals to the amplifiercircuits 92 p, 92 t, 92 r, which output angular velocity signals 82 p,82 t, 82 r with appropriate values in response. Thereafter, the A/Dconverters 93 p, 93 t, 93 r convert the angular velocity signals 82 p,82 t, 82 r that are analog signals into digital signals and output thedigital signals to the arithmetic processing section 94.

The arithmetic processing section 94 performs integration processing totransform the angular velocities into camera shake angles, therebycalculating the angles of camera shake in the panning, tilting androlling directions 20, 21 and 22 sequentially. The arithmetic processingsection also performs three-axis shake compensation processing, which iscarried out as an open loop control to drive the movable unit 180 so asto regulate the angular velocities in accordance with the angularvelocity signals 83 p, 83 t, 83 r that have been detected by the angularvelocity sensors 900, 901 and 902, respectively. The arithmeticprocessing section sequentially outputs target rotation angle signals 84p, 84 t, 84 r indicating the magnitude of the best digital shakecompensation while taking the frequency response characteristic of thecamera driving apparatus 165, the phase compensation and gain correctioninto consideration.

The D/A converters 95 p, 95 t, 95 r convert the target rotation anglesignals 84 p, 84 t, 84 r that are digital signals into target rotationangle signals 85 p, 85 t, 85 r that are analog signals and output thesignals 85 p, 85 t, 85 r to the driver circuits 96 p, 96 t, 96 r,respectively.

Meanwhile, in the camera driving apparatus 165, the first and secondmagnetic sensors 501 and 700 which detect the angle of rotation of themovable unit 180 with respect to the base 200 output rotation anglesignals 86 p, 86 t, 86 r in the panning, tilting and rolling directions20, 21, 22. The analog circuits 97 p, 97 t, 97 r remove noise componentsand DC drift components from the rotation angle signals 86 p, 86 t, 86 rand output rotation angle signals 87 p, 87 t, 87 r. The amplifiercircuits 98 p, 98 t, 98 r amplify the rotation angle signals 87 p, 87 t,87 r and output rotation angle signals 88 p, 88 t, 88 r with appropriatevalues to the driver circuits 96 p, 96 t, 96 r.

The driver circuits 96 p, 96 t, 96 r are feedback circuits which areconfigured to feed back the rotation angle signals 88 p, 88 t, 88 r tothe target rotation angle signals 85 p, 85 t, 85 r. That is why when noexternal force is acting on the camera unit 170, the driver circuits 96p, 96 t, 96 r control the angles of the movable unit 180 in the panning,tilting and rolling directions 20, 21, 22 so as to obtain predeterminedrotational angle positions. Based on the target rotation angle signals85 p, 85 t, 85 r and rotation angle signals 88 p, 88 t, 88 r, the drivercircuits 96 p, 96 t, 96 r output drive signals to drive the panningdrive coils 301, the tilting drive coils 302 and the rolling drive coils303. In this manner, the camera driving apparatus 165 performs afeedback control on the angular positions of the movable unit 186 anddrives the movable unit 180 so that the rotation angle signals 88 p, 88t, 88 r become equal to the target rotation angle signals 85 p, 85 t, 85r, respectively.

By performing this series of drive controls, a shake compensation can becarried out on the camera section 100 and a shooting session can also becarried out with good stability even by a person who is walking.

A control system which operates based mainly on the rotation anglesignals that have been obtained by integrating the outputs of theangular velocity sensors has been described as a third embodiment of thepresent invention. However, this is just an example of the presentinvention. Alternatively, the rotation angular velocity signal of themovable unit 180 may also be detected by supplying the rotation anglesignals 88 p, 88 t, 88 r to the arithmetic processing section 94 fromthe first and second magnetic sensors 501 and 700 of the camera drivingapparatus 165 via the A/D converters and making the arithmeticprocessing section 94 perform differentiation arithmetic processing. Asa result, the arithmetic processing section 94 can perform angularvelocity feedback computation even more accurately based on the angularvelocity signals 83 p, 83 t, 83 r of the camera unit and the rotationangle signal of the movable unit 180 and the camera shake and walkingblur can be compensated for even more accurately.

It should be noted that the compensation control to shift the lensbarrel 107 in which the lens 105 is fit linearly in the optical axis(10) direction with respect to the movable unit 180 is carried out basedon a result obtained by subjecting the output image signal of the imagesensor 108 to image processing.

Such a control to be carried out based on a result obtained bysubjecting the output image signal of the image sensor 108 to imageprocessing may be an AF control, for example. The AF control isperformed by the arithmetic processing section 94. First of all, thearithmetic processing section 94 gets a contrast value in a particularsubject region of the image data from the image processing section 1000.Next, the arithmetic processing section 94 determines the focusing statein that particular subject region based on a series of contrast valuesobtained continuously and drives the lens barrel 107, for example, so asto focus on the subject region.

Optionally, the arithmetic processing section 94 may also perform ahigh-speed AF operation. In that case, the arithmetic processing section94 controls the image sensor 108 so as to increase the frame rate, butdecrease the resolution, of the captured image data that the imagesensor 108 outputs. This control is carried out because by increasingthe frame rate, a larger number of contrast values can be obtained perunit time and the in-focus position can be detected more quickly andbecause by decreasing the resolution, the contrast detection can getdone at a higher processing rate.

Such a control to be carried out based on a result obtained bysubjecting the output image signal of the image sensor 108 to imageprocessing may also be controlling the degree of image blur due todefocusing. The arithmetic processing section 94 estimates a pointspread function (PSF) in the image based on the output signal of theimage processing section 1000. The PSF indicates the degree of blur inthe image, which varies with the distance to the subject. The arithmeticprocessing section 94 calculates a variation in the degree of image blurby driving the lens barrel 107, for example, thereby calculating anapproximate distance to the subject.

In the same way, the control to shift linearly the image sensor holder116 on which the image sensor 108 is mounted along the tilting directionrotation axis 11 and the panning direction rotation axis 12 and thecontrol to rotate and shift the image sensor holder 116 in the rollingdirection 22 on the optical axis 10 are carried out with respect to themovable unit 180 based on a result obtained by subjecting the outputimage signal of the image sensor 108 to image processing.

Specifically, the arithmetic processing section 94 performs a feedbackcontrol based on the PSF estimated, for example, thereby controlling theimage sensor driving section 99 so as to reduce the degree of blur.Under the control by the arithmetic processing section 94, the imagesensor driving section 99 drives the image sensor holder 116.

A camera driving apparatus 165 and camera unit 170 according to anembodiment of the present invention can rotate the camera section 100 toa larger angle than a conventional camera shake compensation devicedoes. That is why a camera driving apparatus which can track any subjectdesignated in an image so that the subject is located at the center ofthe frame by image processing, for example, is realized.

In addition, by carrying out a shooting session while rotating thecamera section 100 in either the panning direction 20 or the tiltingdirection 21 and by sequentially synthesizing together still picturesand movies that have been shot, a camera driving apparatus which cancapture still pictures and movies at super-wide angles is realized.

Furthermore, by feeding back the results of the image processing at highspeeds, the nodal point that is the center of the focus of the lens canbe matched highly accurately to the spherical centroid 70 that is thephysical center of rotation of the camera section 100.

Furthermore, the translational image blur to be produced noticeablyduring a macro shooting session, in particular, can be compensated for.In addition, according to this embodiment, even image blur which is toosmall for conventional movable units to compensate for successfully byrotating and driving the camera section in three axis directions canalso be compensated for on a pixel-by-pixel basis.

Furthermore, the image sensor 108 is rotated on the optical axis 10, andtherefore, compensation can be carried out in the rolling direction 22on a pixel-by-pixel basis. As a result, while performing rotation blurcompensation macroscopically by driving the entire movable unit 180 inthe rolling direction 22, a residual subtle rotation blur of the imagecan be compensated for microscopically by rotating the image sensor 198on the optical axis. By controlling the image sensor on a pixel-by-pixelbasis in this manner, a camera driving apparatus which can produce ahigh-quality image can be provided.

Although a camera driving apparatus 165 and camera unit 170 including acamera section 100 has been described as first through thirdembodiments, an embodiment of the present invention is also applicableto a driver which includes a light-emitting device or a photosensingdevice instead of the camera section 100 and which can be driven freelyin three-axis directions. For example, a driver in which a laser elementor a photosensitive element is provided for the movable unit 180 insteadof the camera section 100 and which can be driven freely in three-axisdirections may be realized. It should be noted that the configuration ofthe drive system could be changed appropriately according to the designand specification. For example, if the movable unit 180 does not have tobe rotated in the rolling direction, no rolling driving section needs tobe provided. Likewise, if the movable unit 180 does not have to berotated in the tilting direction 21, no tilting driving section needs tobe provided.

Also, in the first through third embodiments described above, panning,tilting and rolling drive magnets are supposed to be used as attractingmagnets and panning, tilting and rolling magnetic yokes are supposed tobe used as magnetic bodies. However, this is only an example of thepresent invention. Alternatively, the camera driving apparatus 165 mayinclude any other magnets and magnetic bodies as the attracting magnetsand magnetic bodies instead of these drive magnets and magnetic yokes.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

A camera driving apparatus 165 according to the present disclosure has astructure which can be driven in the panning, tilting, rolling andoptical axis directions. Such a structure can be used effectively in awearable camera and various other kinds of image capture devices thatneed an image blur compensation. The camera driving apparatus 165 canalso be used effectively in high-speed subject tracking cameras,surveillance cameras and car-mounted cameras that need high-speedpanning, tilting and rolling operations. The camera driving apparatus165 is also applicable effectively to a camcorder which can carry outsuper-wide-angle shooting.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

-   10 optical axis-   11 tilting direction rotation axis-   12 panning direction rotation axis-   20 panning direction-   21 tilting direction-   22 rolling direction-   40, 41, 42, 43 winding center axis-   55 supporting ball-   56 supporting ball holder-   70 spherical centroid-   80 p, 80 r, 80 t angular velocity signal-   82 p, 82 r, 82 t angular velocity signal-   83 p, 83 r, 83 t angular velocity signal-   84 p, 84 r, 84 t target rotation angle signal-   85 p, 85 r, 85 t target angle signal-   86 p, 86 r, 86 t rotation angle signal-   87 p, 87 r, 87 t rotation angle signal-   88 p, 88 r, 88 t rotation angle signal-   91 p, 91 r, 91 t analog circuit-   92 p, 92 r, 92 t amplifier circuit-   93 p, 93 r, 93 t converter-   94 arithmetic processing section-   95 p, 95 r, 95 t converter-   96 p, 96 r, 96 t driver circuit-   97 p, 97 r, 97 t analog circuit-   98 p, 98 r, 98 t amplifier circuit-   99 image sensor driving section-   100 camera section-   101 lens section-   102 lower movable portion-   102B plane portion-   102H opening-   102P contact point-   102R convex partial sphere-   102S notched portion-   105 lens-   106 lens holder-   107 camera barrel-   107A opening-   107B projection-   107C hole-   107D depressed portion-   108 image sensor-   109 shift detecting magnet-   110 cable-   115 optical axis direction drive coil-   116 image sensor holder-   116A plane portion-   117, 118 image sensor drive coil-   119 third magnetic sensor-   120 first fixing holder-   120A tilted surface-   121 magnetic member-   122 supporting sphere-   123 image sensor rotating drive coil-   130 second fixing holder-   140 magnetic sensor-   150 camera cover-   160 movable unit-   165 camera driving apparatus-   170 camera unit-   180 movable unit-   200 base-   200A concave spherical surface-   200B contact surface-   200C contact surface-   200F cylindrical hole-   200H, 200P, 200T hole-   201 stopper member-   201A anti-fall regulating surface-   203 panning magnetic yoke-   204 tilting magnetic yoke-   240 guide bar-   300 fixed unit-   301 panning drive coil-   302 tilting drive coil-   303 rolling drive coil-   401 panning drive magnet-   402 tilting drive magnet-   402A inner curved surface-   405 rolling drive magnet-   406 tilt detecting magnet-   501 first magnetic sensor-   501 second magnetic sensor-   502 circuit board-   600 compression spring-   700 second magnetic sensor-   800 control section-   900, 901, 902 angular velocity sensor-   1000 image processing section

1. A camera driving apparatus comprising: a camera section including animage sensor which has an imaging plane, a lens which has an opticalaxis and which produces a subject image on the imaging plane, and a lensbarrel to support the lens; a movable unit which includes at least oneattracting magnet, houses the camera section inside, and has a firstconvex partial sphere on outer surface thereof; a fixed unit which has adepressed portion in which at least one magnetic body and at least aportion of the movable unit are loosely fit and which brings the firstconvex partial sphere of the movable unit into a point or line contactwith the depressed portion under magnetic attractive force of the atleast one attracting magnet to the at least one magnetic body, the fixedunit allowing the movable unit to rotate freely on the sphericalcentroid of the first convex partial sphere; a panning driving sectionwhich tilts the camera section in a panning direction with respect tothe fixed unit; a tilting driving section which tilts the camera sectionin a tilting direction that intersects with the panning direction atright angles with respect to the fixed unit; a rolling driving sectionwhich rotates the camera section in a rolling direction around theoptical axis of the lens with respect to the fixed unit; a lens drivingsection which shifts the lens barrel in the optical axis direction withrespect to the movable unit and which is provided for the movable unit;an image sensor driving section which shifts the image sensor withrespect to the movable unit in a panning rotation axis direction thatdefines the axis of rotation in the panning direction and in a tiltingrotation axis direction that defines the axis of rotation in the tiltingdirection and which is provided for the movable unit; a first detectorwhich detects the tilt angles of the camera section in the panning andtilting directions with respect to the fixed unit; a second detectorwhich detects the angle of rotation of the camera section that rotatesin the rolling direction; a third detector which detects the magnitudeof shift of the lens barrel in the optical axis direction; and a fourthdetector which detects the magnitudes of shift of the image sensor inthe panning rotation axis direction and in the tilting rotation axisdirection.
 2. A camera driving apparatus comprising: a camera sectionincluding an image sensor which has an imaging plane, a lens which hasan optical axis and which produces a subject image on the imaging plane,and a lens barrel to support the lens; a movable unit which includes atleast one attracting magnet, houses the camera section inside, and has afirst convex partial sphere on outer surface thereof; a fixed unit whichhas a depressed portion in which at least one magnetic body and at leasta portion of the movable unit are loosely fit and which brings the firstconvex partial sphere of the movable unit into a point or line contactwith the depressed portion under magnetic attractive force of the atleast one attracting magnet to the at least one magnetic body, the fixedunit allowing the movable unit to rotate freely on the sphericalcentroid of the first convex partial sphere; a panning driving sectionwhich tilts the camera section in a panning direction with respect tothe fixed unit; a tilting driving section which tilts the camera sectionin a tilting direction that intersects with the panning direction atright angles with respect to the fixed unit; a rolling driving sectionwhich rotates the camera section in a rolling direction around theoptical axis of the lens with respect to the fixed unit; a lens drivingsection which shifts the lens barrel in the optical axis direction withrespect to the movable unit and which is provided for the movable unit;an image sensor driving section which shifts the image sensor withrespect to the movable unit in a panning rotation axis direction thatdefines the axis of rotation in the panning direction and in a tiltingrotation axis direction that defines the axis of rotation in the tiltingdirection and rotates the image sensor in the rolling direction andwhich is provided for the movable unit; a first detector which detectsthe tilt angles of the camera section in the panning and tiltingdirections with respect to the fixed unit; a second detector whichdetects the angle of rotation of the camera section that rotates in therolling direction; a third detector which detects the magnitude of shiftof the lens barrel in the optical axis direction; and a fourth detectorwhich detects the magnitudes of shift of the image sensor in the panningrotation axis direction and in the tilting rotation axis direction. 3.The camera driving apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fixed unit has atleast three second convex partial spheres inside the depressed portion,and the second convex partial spheres make a point contact with thefirst convex partial sphere of the movable unit.
 4. The camera drivingapparatus of claim 1, wherein the fixed unit has a concave conicalsurface defining the inner side surface of the depressed portion and theconcave conical surface and the first convex partial sphere of themovable unit make a line contact with each other.
 5. The camera drivingapparatus of claim 1, further comprising a stopper member which isprovided for the fixed unit and which has a regulating surface thatregulates the movement of the movable unit so as to prevent the movableunit from falling off the fixed unit, wherein the regulating surface hasa concave partial sphere, of which the centroid agrees with thespherical centroid of the first convex partial sphere.
 6. The cameradriving apparatus of claim 1, wherein the panning driving sectionincludes a pair of panning drive magnets which is arranged symmetricallywith respect to the optical axis in the movable unit, a pair of panningmagnetic yokes which is arranged in the fixed unit so as to face thepair of panning drive magnets, and a pair of panning drive coils whichis wound around the pair of panning magnetic yokes, the tilting drivingsection includes a pair of tilting drive magnets which is arrangedsymmetrically with respect to the optical axis in the movable unit, apair of tilting magnetic yokes which is arranged in the fixed unit so asto face the pair of tilting drive magnets, and a pair of tilting drivecoils which is wound around the pair of tilting magnetic yokes, the pairof panning drive magnets and the pair of panning drive coils arearranged on a line which passes through the spherical centroid of thefirst convex partial sphere, the pair of tilting drive magnets and thepair of tilting drive coils are arranged on another line which alsopasses through the spherical centroid of the first convex partialsphere, and the center of the movable unit in the optical axis directionsubstantially agrees with the spherical centroid of the first convexpartial sphere.
 7. The camera driving apparatus of claim 6, wherein therolling driving section includes four rolling drive coils which arewound around the pair of panning magnetic yokes and the pair of tiltingmagnetic yokes, respectively, and uses the pair of panning drive magnetsand the pair of tilting drive magnets as rolling drive magnets.
 8. Thecamera driving apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one magneticbody includes the pair of panning magnetic yokes and the pair of tiltingmagnetic yokes.
 9. The camera driving apparatus of claim 6, wherein theat least one attracting magnet includes the pair of panning drivemagnets and the pair of tilting drive magnets.
 10. The camera drivingapparatus of claim 6, wherein lines which intersect at right angles withthe respective winding center axes of the pair of panning drive coilsand the pair of tilting drive coils and which pass through the sphericalcentroid of the first convex partial sphere and the drive coils define atilt angle A of 45 degrees or less with respect to a horizontal planewhich intersects with the optical axis at right angles and which passesthrough the spherical centroid of the first convex partial sphere, andthe pair of panning drive magnets and the pair of tilting drive magnetsare arranged tilted with respect to the movable unit so as to face thepair of panning drive coils and the pair of tilting drive coils,respectively.
 11. The camera driving apparatus of claim 6, wherein lineswhich intersect at right angles with the respective winding center axesof the pair of rolling drive coils and which pass through the sphericalcentroid of the first convex partial sphere define a tilt angle B of 45degrees or less with respect to a horizontal plane which intersects withthe optical axis at right angles and which passes through the sphericalcentroid of the first convex partial sphere and the respective centersof the rolling drive coils, the rolling driving section includes a pairof rolling drive magnets, which is arranged tilted with respect to themovable unit so as to face the rolling drive coils.
 12. The cameradriving apparatus of claim 10, wherein the tilt angle A is 20 degrees.13. The camera driving apparatus of claim 11, wherein the tilt angle Bis 20 degrees.
 14. The camera driving apparatus of claim 3, whereinlines which connect the respective spherical centroids of the secondconvex partial spheres to the spherical centroid of the first convexpartial sphere define a tilt angle C of 45 degrees with respect to ahorizontal plane which intersects with the optical axis at right anglesand which passes through the spherical centroid of the first convexpartial sphere.
 15. The camera driving apparatus of claim 7, wherein thepair of panning drive magnets, the pair of tilting drive magnets and thepair of rolling drive magnets are located inside the movable unit andnot exposed on the first convex partial sphere.
 16. The camera drivingapparatus of claim 7, wherein the pair of panning drive coils, the pairof tilting drive coils and the rolling drive coils are arranged insidethe fixed unit and not exposed inside the depressed portion.
 17. Thecamera driving apparatus of claim 15, wherein the movable unit is madeof a resin material.
 18. The camera driving apparatus of claim 15,wherein the movable unit has been formed together with the pair ofpanning drive magnets, the pair of tilting drive magnets and the pair ofrolling drive magnets.
 19. The camera driving apparatus of claim 16,wherein the fixed unit is made of a resin material.
 20. The cameradriving apparatus of claim 19, wherein the fixed unit has been formedtogether with the pair of panning drive coils, the pair of tilting drivecoils, the rolling drive coils, the pair of panning magnetic yokes, thepair of tilting magnetic yokes and the pair of rolling magnetic yokes.21. The camera driving apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first detectorincludes a first magnetic sensor which is fixed to the fixed unit and atilt detecting magnet which is provided for the movable unit, and thefirst magnetic sensor senses a variation in magnetic force due to a tiltof the tilt detecting magnet and calculates two-dimensional tilt anglesof the camera section in the panning and tilting directions.
 22. Thecamera driving apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first magnetic sensorand the tilt detecting magnet are located on the optical axis.
 23. Thecamera driving apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first detector includesa photosensor which is fixed to the fixed unit and a photosensingpattern which is arranged on a portion of the first convex partialsphere of the movable unit, and the photosensor senses a variation inlight that has been incident on the photosensor due to a tilt of thephotosensing pattern and calculates two-dimensional tilt angles of thecamera section in the panning and tilting directions.
 24. The cameradriving apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lens driving section includes:the lens barrel which shifts in the optical axis direction with respectto a plurality of guide portions that are provided parallel to theoptical axis for the movable unit and which supports the lens; anoptical axis direction drive coil which is provided for the lens barrel;and an optical axis direction drive magnet which is provided for themovable unit so as to face the optical axis direction drive coil. 25.The camera driving apparatus of claim 24, wherein the panning drivingsection includes a pair of panning drive magnets which is arrangedsymmetrically with respect to the optical axis in the movable unit, thetilting driving section includes a pair of tilting drive magnets whichis arranged symmetrically with respect to the optical axis in themovable unit, and the optical axis direction drive magnet includes thepair of panning drive magnets and the pair of tilting drive magnets. 26.The camera driving apparatus of claim 24, wherein the winding centeraxis of the optical axis direction drive coil agrees with the opticalaxis.
 27. The camera driving apparatus of claim 24, wherein the guideportions are guide bars which are fixed to the movable unit and whichrun parallel to the optical axis.
 28. The camera driving apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the image sensor driving section includes: an imagesensor holder portion which holds the image sensor; a supporting memberfor supporting the image sensor holder portion so that the image sensorholder portion is movable with respect to the movable unit within aplane that intersects with the optical axis at right angles; an imagesensor drive coil which has a winding center axis that is parallel tothe optical axis and which is fixed to the image sensor holder portion;and an image sensor drive magnet which is fixed to the movable unit soas to face the image sensor drive coil.
 29. The camera driving apparatusof one of claim 2, wherein the image sensor driving section includes: animage sensor holder portion which holds the image sensor; a supportingmember for supporting the image sensor holder portion so that the imagesensor holder portion is movable with respect to the movable unit withina plane that intersects with the optical axis at right angles; a firstimage sensor drive coil which has a winding center axis that is parallelto the optical axis and which is fixed to the image sensor holderportion; a first image sensor drive magnet which is fixed to the movableunit so as to face the first image sensor drive coil; a second imagesensor drive coil which has a winding center axis that is tilted withrespect to the optical axis and which is fixed to the image sensorholder portion; and a second image sensor drive magnet which is fixed tothe movable unit so as to face the second image sensor drive coil. 30.The camera driving apparatus of claim 28, wherein the first detectorincludes a first magnetic sensor which is fixed to the fixed unit and atilt detecting magnet which is provided for the movable unit, the firstmagnetic sensor senses a variation in magnetic force due to a tilt ofthe tilt detecting magnet and calculates two-dimensional tilt angles ofthe camera section in the panning and tilting directions, and the imagesensor drive magnet is the tilt detecting magnet.
 31. The camera drivingapparatus of claim 29, wherein the first detector includes a firstmagnetic sensor which is fixed to the fixed unit and a tilt detectingmagnet which is provided for the movable unit, the first magnetic sensorsenses a variation in magnetic force due to a tilt of the tilt detectingmagnet and calculates two-dimensional tilt angles of the camera sectionin the panning and tilting directions, and the first image sensor drivemagnet is the tilt detecting magnet.
 32. The camera driving apparatus ofclaim 29, wherein the second image sensor drive magnet is either apanning drive magnet for use to drive the movable unit in the panningdirection or a tilting drive magnet for use to drive the movable unit inthe tilting direction.
 33. The camera driving apparatus of claim 28,wherein the supporting member includes: a first plane portion which isprovided for the image sensor holder portion and which has a plane thatintersects with the optical axis at right angles; a second plane portionwhich is provided for the movable unit and which has a plane thatintersects with the optical axis at right angles; and at least threesupporting balls which are held between the first and second planeportions.
 34. The camera driving apparatus of claim 33, wherein theimage sensor holder portion includes a magnetic body and grips thesupporting balls with magnetic attractive force between the magneticbody and the image sensor drive magnet.
 35. The camera driving apparatusof claim 33, wherein the image sensor holder portion includes a magneticbody and grips the supporting balls with magnetic attractive forcebetween the magnetic body and the first image sensor drive magnet. 36.The camera driving apparatus of claim 1, wherein the center of mass ofthe movable unit agrees with the spherical centroid of the first convexpartial sphere.
 37. The camera driving apparatus of claim 6, furthercomprising cables which are connected to the camera section and whichare implemented as flexible cables, wherein the cables are arrangedline-symmetrically with respect to the optical axis and are fixed to themovable unit in a direction which defines an angle of 45 degrees withrespect to either a line that connects the pair of tilting drive magnetstogether or a line that connects the pair of panning drive magnetstogether on a plane which intersects with the optical axis at rightangles.
 38. The camera driving apparatus of claim 1, wherein the seconddetector includes a second magnetic sensor which is fixed to the fixedunit and a rotation detecting magnet which is provided for the movableunit, and the second magnetic sensor senses a variation in magneticforce due to a rotation of the rotation detecting magnet and calculatesthe angle of rotation of the movable unit in the rolling direction. 39.The camera driving apparatus of claim 38, wherein the rotation detectingmagnet is either a panning drive magnet for use to drive the movableunit in the panning direction or a tilting drive magnet for use to drivethe movable unit in the tilting direction.
 40. The camera drivingapparatus of claim 1, wherein the third detector includes a thirdmagnetic sensor which is fixed to the movable unit and a first shiftdetecting magnet which is provided for the lens barrel, and the thirdmagnetic sensor senses a variation in magnetic force due to a shift ofthe first shift detecting magnet and calculates the magnitude of shiftof the lens barrel in the optical axis direction.
 41. The camera drivingapparatus of claim 1, wherein the image sensor driving section includesan image sensor holder portion which holds the image sensor, the fourthdetector includes a fourth magnetic sensor which is fixed to the imagesensor holder portion and a second shift detecting magnet which isprovided for the movable unit, and the fourth magnetic sensor senses avariation in magnetic force due to a shift of the image sensor holderportion and calculates the magnitudes of shift of the image sensordriving section in the panning rotation axis direction and in thetilting rotation axis direction.
 42. The camera driving apparatus ofclaim 41, wherein the first detector includes a first magnetic sensorwhich is fixed to the fixed unit and a tilt detecting magnet which isprovided for the movable unit, the first magnetic sensor senses avariation in magnetic force due to a tilt of the tilt detecting magnetand calculates two-dimensional tilt angles of the camera section in thepanning and tilting directions, and the second shift detecting magnet isthe tilt detecting magnet.
 43. The camera driving apparatus of claim 5,wherein a gap is left between the regulating surface of the stoppermember and the first convex partial sphere of the movable unit and hasbeen determined so that even if the first convex partial sphere of themovable unit has fallen off the depressed portion of the fixed unit, thefirst convex partial sphere and the depressed portion recover theirpoint or line contact with magnetic attractive force.
 44. A camera unitcomprising: the camera driving apparatus of claim 1; an angular velocitysensor which senses angular velocities of the fixed unit around threeorthogonal axes; an arithmetic processing section which generates targetrotation angle signals based on the outputs of the angular velocitysensor; and a driver circuit which generates signals to drive the firstand second driving sections based on the target rotation angle signals.45. A camera unit comprising: the camera driving apparatus of claim 1which has rotated 45 degrees around the optical axis of the camerasection; an angular velocity sensor which senses angular velocities ofthe fixed unit around three orthogonal axes; an arithmetic processingsection which generates target rotation angle signals based on theoutputs of the angular velocity sensor; and a driver circuit whichgenerates signals to drive the first and second driving sections basedon the target rotation angle signals.
 46. An optical device drivercomprising: an optical device which has an optical axis and which eitherreceives or emits light; a movable unit which includes at least oneattracting magnet, houses the optical device inside, and has a firstconvex partial sphere on outer surface thereof; a fixed unit which has adepressed portion in which at least one magnetic body and at least aportion of the movable unit are loosely fit and which brings the firstconvex partial sphere of the movable unit into a point or line contactwith the depressed portion under magnetic attractive force of the atleast one attracting magnet to the at least one magnetic body, the fixedunit allowing the movable unit to rotate freely on the sphericalcentroid of the first convex partial sphere; a panning driving sectionwhich tilts the optical device in a panning direction with respect tothe fixed unit; a tilting driving section which tilts the optical devicein a tilting direction that intersects with the panning direction atright angles with respect to the fixed unit; a rolling driving sectionwhich rotates the optical device in a rolling direction around theoptical axis with respect to the fixed unit; a first optical devicedriving section which shifts the optical device in the optical axisdirection with respect to the movable unit and which is provided for themovable unit; a second optical device driving section which shifts theoptical device with respect to the movable unit in a panning rotationaxis direction that defines the axis of rotation in the panningdirection and in a tilting rotation axis direction that defines the axisof rotation in the tilting direction and which is provided for themovable unit; a first detector which detects the tilt angles of theoptical device in the panning and tilting directions with respect to thefixed unit; a second detector which detects the angle of rotation of theoptical device that rotates in the rolling direction; a third detectorwhich detects the magnitude of shift of the optical device in theoptical axis direction; and a fourth detector which detects themagnitudes of shift of the optical device in the panning rotation axisdirection and in the tilting rotation axis direction.